The Finance Bill, 2024 has passed the second reading stage with 204 MPs voting to approve it against 115 who rejected it.
There were no abstentions.
MPs voted by acclamation as opposed to secret ballot.
The vote came upon conclusion of debate clause by clause based on the report by the Finance Committee.
The Bill now proceeds to the Committee of the whole House for consideration of proposed amendments.
The Committee is comprised of the whole membership of the National Assembly.
"Members, the matter of the Finance Bill are now over, we wait for the committe of the whole, those who have amendments to file, clerk and his team will process those amendments," Speaker Wetangu'la said.
MPs had until 1pm Thursday to submit their proposed amendments.
The Committee of the whole will then consider all the proposed amendments and take a vote on each of them.
If an amendment is passed, it becomes part of the Bill.
The Bill will then move to the final stage for Third Reading after which MPs will take a vote.
This final phase has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 25.
No further substantive amendments will be taken up at this stage.
"As you have been told, the House will sit on Tuesday morning when we will proceed on the same matter. Open the bar, open the doors, now call out the next order," Wetang'ula ruled.
A Bill is lost if it is rejected at either the Second Reading, Committee of the whole House or at Third Reading.
If this happens, the whole Bill is trashed.
If the mover seeks to re-introduce the bill again, he or she can only do so after six months.
If the Bill passes after Third Reading, the Speaker refers it to the President for assent.
