Babu Owino Clarifies Azimio MPs’ Absence from Finance Bill Vote, Dispels Confusion
Wednesday, June 14, Babu Owino, the representative for Embakasi East. Explained his absence during the vote on the Finance Bill, 2023, in Parliament.
In a statement, the lawmaker clarified that he had arranged to meet his attorney on Thursday, June 15. To prepare for his defense hearing at the Milimani Law Courts.
Moreover, he emphasized that he informed the minority leader of the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi. Of his situation before leaving the parliament buildings.
The representative blamed National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula for the blunder, noting that the original plan from the Parliamentary leadership was for the voting process to occur after the third reading.
The representative perceived malice in the situation, noting that several members of the Azimio la Umoja coalition were unable to participate in the voting process due to the initial directive.
“I realized that the speaker made some modifications and ruled that voting would occur on Wednesday. At that point, so many members anticipated that voting would occur the following week. This explains why so many members, particularly from the Azimio Coalition, were absent from the meeting, he explained.
During the Second Reading, he harshly criticized the passage of the Finance Bill, claiming that it posed a looming disaster for Kenyans.
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“I would like to assert that the Finance Bill of 2023 is retrogressive. Even if (ODM party leader) Raila Odinga told me to support it, I would not because I am loyal to my people, he clarified.
In contrast, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, who is currently in Morocco on official business, questioned why a communication was not issued to request that MPs suspend other obligations before the Finance Bill vote.
How the Voting Procedures Worked
During the second reading, 176 members of the August House out of 257 in attendance voted in favor of the bill, while 81 legislators voted against it.
As a result, the bill advances to the third and final reading, where lawmakers will have the opportunity to propose amendments to particular clauses.
The National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning Committee introduced the Finance Bill, 2023, to the House of Representatives on June 13.
The committee, chaired by Molo Member of Parliament Kuria Kimani, advocated for amendments to the bill to address the public’s concerns.
This involved a decrease from three percent to one and a half percent in the Housing Fund tax. In addition, the proposed digital tax was reduced from 16 percent to five percent.
Certain provisions, including the proposed 16 percent value-added tax on fuel, were not revised.
Babu Owino Clarifies Azimio MPs’ Absence from Finance Bill Vote, Dispels Confusion
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