Kenyans watching the National Assembly debate on the Finance Bill 2023 on Wednesday must have been captivated initially since every parliamentarian seemed to be fighting for them. The crucial question is, who was truly on Kenyans’ side?
Kenya Kwanza parliamentarians argued that the opposition, Azimio, did not want ‘hustlers’ to prosper, hence their dissent of the proposed Housing Fund deduction that kicked off as a contribution, “not a tax,” to a full-blow tax.
Azimio MPs were of the opinion that ‘hustlers’ were hoaxed during the campaigns and were bound to suffer more if the new tax measures were amended. The Finance Bill provides for revenue collection to fund the budget, which in the 2022–2023 financial year is set at Kshs3.7 trillion.
Read: Kenya’s New Budget: Unraveling the Variance and Allocation Breakdown
The Finance and Planning Committee Chairman, Mr. Kuria Kimani, expressed how Kenyans were happy to learn of the ballooned budget and the titbits promised to many sectors. He also disclosed that many frowned upon the contentious proposals that have dominated public discourse recently, including the housing levy, which was slashed from 3% to 1.5%. Driven by their patriotism, Kenyans informed them in a public forum that they did not want a refund after seven years. They also wanted the previous Kshs 2500 cap removed, as it would be unfair.
Mr. Kuria said that Kenyans wanted to own the houses they rent, but Mr. Wandayi, the minority leader, argued that it would take a teacher in a primary school located in the village he or she comes from 200 years to get the house. He further warned that the bill risks sparking a revolution, adding that it jeered the “hustlers” and threatened their lives.
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