The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition has given the Kenya Kwanza government until midnight to withdraw the Finance Bill 2023.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 30 after the Azimio La Umoja Parliamentary Group meeting, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi stated that the President William Ruto-led government should reintroduce a new finance bill that is sensitive to the plight of Kenyans.
“It is our position that the Finance Bill 2023 as presently crafted must be withdrawn and replaced by a bill that appreciates the suffering of the people of Kenya are going through. The bill must be withdrawn in totality and reintroduced afresh in a manner that is sensitive to the plight of poor Kenyans,” Wandayi stated.
Azimio also demanded the government to agree that all Jubilee Party MPs who have defected to Kenya Kwanza should resign and seek fresh mandate from the electorate.
“It is our resolution that other than merely committing not to interfere with the affairs of other parties, Kenya Kwanza must agree that all Jubilee MPs who have defected to Kenya Kwanza, in essence, have to face by-elections in line with the constitution.
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“Until all these are agreed upon the joint bipartisan talks remain suspended. Kenya Kwanza has up to midnight today to comply,” Wandayi stated.
This comes as the Kenya Kwanza is facing a backlash on the proposed Finance Bill 2023, which seeks to introduce new taxes and mandatory 3 percent deductions towards the Housing Fund.
National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro on Monday made a u-turn on the bill saying that they will accommodate some amendments to reflect the concerns raised by Kenyans.
“We’re still collecting views from all relevant stakeholders. It’s not cast in stone that we will not amend some proposals that have been raised by different stakeholders. We will amend them,” he said.
