- Junet Mohamed said the opposition will whip all its MPs to the house to reject the Finance Bill in toto.
- The Suna East MP said Azimio will rally and marshal its number to take on the Finance Bill.
Image: FILE
The opposition has vowed to mobilise all its allied MPs to the National Assembly to reject the Kenya Kwanza’s Finance Bill, 2024.
The 2024/25 budget will be accompanied by the Finance Bill, a separate law outlining revenue-raising proposals which many critics say could cripple sectors.
National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed said on Thursday that they will seek to rally their members to stand against the bill when it is tabled
"Asking for a trip out of the country for the minority side is a no-go zone from next week,’’ the Suna East MP said ahead of the budget reading.
The MP described the proposed Finance Bill, 2024 as draconian and punitive saying it flies in the face of the Kenya Kwanza’s promise to lower the cost of living.
“The budget that they will table is just a dream on how they will spend the money, the rubber will meet the road when they bring the Finance Bill, 2024,’’ the MP said.
According to the MP, the government is further punishing Kenyans through heavy taxation yet the economy is still not growing as projected.
“This is a budget for the executive what they want to do is up to them where they want to spend is their problem because that is their manifesto, where we come in is when they want to get that money, when they want to overtax Kenyans,’’ he said.
The MP warned MPs planning to absent themselves from the House during the processing of the Bill that ‘’choices have consequences’.
“There will be no walkout, it is mandatory for the minority members to come to parliament and participate fully whether in second or third reading,’’ he said.
“This time absence will not be allowed and everybody must follow the position that the minority will take, if anybody votes against the minority position, there will be consequences.’’