ODM has directed its MPs to be present in the House for the duration of the consideration of the Finance Bill, 2024.
Following the conclusion of public participation on the Bill, the National Assembly Committee on Finance and Planning retreated to write its report which is expected to be tabled before the House on June 18, 2024.
The ODM leadership wants all party members to be present in the House during tabling and voting on the Bill.
In a letter to all MPs, secretary general Edwin Sifuna said the party’s Central Committee directed him to write to the lawmakers to ask them to be in the House during the period.
“You are further requested to suspend any other engagements that would otherwise see you out of Nairobi during this critical period,” the letter reads in part.
Sifuna said any MP who will have compelling reasons to be out of the country during the period is required to inform the party in advance.
He noted that the proposals contained in the Finance Bill, 2024, have elicited sharp public debate with many Kenyans concerned about their punitive nature.
The letter comes hot on the heels of an instruction by Azimio to all MPs to reject the Bill in totality.
“We reaffirm our stand that all well-meaning Kenyans must oppose the Finance Bill 2024 and have thus instructed all our Parliamentary members to lead from the front in rejecting this punitive bill in its totality,” Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka said.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Kalonzo saluted Kenyans who have used phone calls, text messaging and social media initiatives to urge their MPs to vote no.
“This peaceful assertiveness and engagement will eventually become the norm especially under our leadership as the government in waiting,” he stated.
The Finance Bill, 2024, aims to expand the tax base and increase revenue collection from Kenyan citizens through a raft of new tax measures.