Exploiting Finance Bill Mistake, Azimio Targets Ruto with Political Pressure
On Friday, June 16, Azimio la Umoja again threatened to go to court to block the Finance Bill, 2023, which passed the National Assembly’s first and second readings on Wednesday, June 14.
Unlike before, when Azimio opposed the Bill on the grounds of punitive tax measures and Ruto interfered with the opposition, the Raila Odinga-led coalition argued over technicalities.
John Mbadi, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), asserted that the bill was improperly introduced in Parliament and contains provisions that are detrimental to the economy.
According to Mbadi, the bill was also not accompanied by a memorandum of budget estimates.
“There was no justification for the Majority to push for a vote on the Bill in such a hasty manner. The law anticipates that the debate and vote on the bill would have followed the Treasury Cabinet Secretary’s budget presentation.
Therefore, the highlights of the budget should precede the debate on the Bill. Mbadi asserted that Kenya Kwanza’s growing tendency to attempt to deceive Kenyans must end and that they should immediately withdraw the Bill.
In particular, the chairperson of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee argued that the controversial Bill violates the amended Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, Section 40 and Standing Orders 244 (c) (4), which mandates that the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary table the proposed legislation after the budget highlights.
Mbadi, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), warned that he would mobilize his Azimio la Umoja Coalition to litigate the matter in court if the National Assembly majority side failed to withdraw the bill.
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“We will challenge the legality of the Bill in court. Mbadi threatened, “We will also challenge its provisions that are detrimental to the economy.”
The memorandum of budget estimates provides information on the government’s revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming fiscal year.
According to Mbadi, both Speaker Moses Wetangula and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah erred by tabling Finance Bill 2023 and allowing the reading of Budget 2023/24 without following the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act’s proper legal provisions.
Section 40 (3) of the PFM Act states, “On the same date that the budget policy highlights and revenue-raising measures are announced, the Cabinet Secretary shall submit to Parliament the Finance Bill outlining the revenue-raising measures for the national government, along with a policy statement explaining these measures.”
The Act also stipulates that following the submission of the Finance Bill by the Cabinet Secretary, the relevant committee of the National Assembly shall introduce it to the National Assembly along with its report.
The Nominated Member of Parliament argued that the Finance Bill 2023 should be reintroduced for debate the following week by parliamentary procedures.
Exploiting Finance Bill Mistake, Azimio Targets Ruto with Political Pressure
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