The Draft Finance Bill 2025 officially arrived at the National Assembly on Wednesday, April 30, following its approval by the Cabinet during their meeting on Tuesday.
As the bill was introduced to Parliament, Speaker Moses Wetangula issued a stern warning to Members of Parliament (MPs), urging them not to misrepresent the contents of the bill to the public.
He emphasized the importance of MPs thoroughly reviewing and understanding the draft before making any public statements about it.
Wetangula suggested that MPs take advantage of the upcoming parliamentary recess to carefully study the bill.
He stated, “I encourage members to actively familiarize themselves with the contents of the estimates and to engage in the process.
This will ensure that both their views and those of their constituents are reflected during the national budget discussions.”
Wetangula further added, “Honourable members, when these documents are presented or bills are published, make sure you read them, analyze them, and discuss them here in Parliament.
Relying on opinions from villagers at funerals and public gatherings will not help us pass the right budgeting decisions here in the House.”
Wetangula also recalled similar situations in the past where misinformation had circulated, a scenario he noted had not been beneficial to anyone involved.
His comments were supported by Minority Leader Junet Mohammed, who echoed the concern about misrepresentation.
The Suna East MP also addressed the public, clarifying that all the other versions of the “finance bills” circulating on social media were false.
He reassured Kenyans, saying, “The real finance bill is now in Parliament. Over the past couple of months, there have been many discussions about a finance bill circulating online, with claims of increased taxation.”
He added, “We urge the public to disregard the misinformation and understand that the legitimate finance bill is the one we are now working with in Parliament. It should be interpreted according to what is written in the actual bill.”
This development comes shortly after the Cabinet passed the finance bill in its Tuesday meeting. Based on the portions of the bill made available to the public, the new bill primarily focuses on closing loopholes in the current tax system, rather than introducing entirely new tax measures.
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