The Chairperson for National Assembly Committee on Finance and National Planning Kimani Kuria has disclosed that the Finance Bill 2023 has to be amended before being tabled on the floor of the house
Speaking immediately after receiving eighty four petitions rejecting the proposed finance bill, Kuria said that majority of stakeholders presenting their memorandum have opposed the bill
“One of the fundamental thing that is coming across from all stakeholders is that the executive need to stop wastages that has been coming over and again, stakeholders have told us that we need to find a solution to corruption that we can’t have all these conversation about all these taxes and then all that money ends into individual’s pockets,’’ Kuria noted
Kuria, who’s the second term Member of Parliament for Molo Constituency on United Democratic Alliance, spoke boldly that corruption loopholes should be zipped at the executive level and stop wastage of public coffers
Former Kiambu MP Jude Njomo’s led civil society ‘sauti Ya wanyonge’ likened the 2023 finance bill as indoctrination, that of kilifi controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie of promising people good houses to occupy once they are dead
“Teacher Kamande owns Sh50,000 from the calculations he will be levied sh18000 per year, for him to raise Sh1.5 million to get cheap affordable house in Nairobi, he will require 84 years, he is already 44 years old, honorable chair, teacher kamande will not occupy that house in this life, he may occupy it in the next life after this!,’’. Jude remarked
Haki Yetu Organization Group from coastal region wanted government to stop corruption and embezzlement of public resources like recruiting Chief Administrative Secretaries who are drawing millions of taxpayer’s money for just in the offices doing nothing
“You can’t hire all these 51 CASs, promising people they will provide the services which are not there, because you don’t have even the money to do those services, so what are they going to do in the offices if there are no money to provide the services!,’’ Peter Kazungu, CEO, Miradi, Haki Yetu exclaimed
Meanwhile, learned friends’ society group led by Mark & Partners Advocates made their reservations to Molo MP led-committee that eight percent increase of fuel cost will contribute to the high cost of living since most of industries use energy
“The state is prohibited from enacting any law which will infringe tax payer’s right to enjoy any property,’’ She noted
Seventy four out of eighty four civil society groups have opposed the bill, other 48 groups will launch their petition on Monday, with other 1400 to have emailed their petitions online