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{
    "id": 1003176,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1003176/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 260,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Garissa Township, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Aden Duale",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to second. The Speaker alluded today that this is the first time this House is dealing with the Finance Bill at this particular moment. Some of the Members will agree with me that the Finance Bill used to have a timeline of three months from when the CS gave the highlights of the budget estimates. So, the deadline for the passage of the Finance Bill used to be 30th September. However, because that law was declared unconstitutional, then we are forced to adopt the current practice. I think it is tidy and decent that, as we present the Appropriations Bill 2020/2021, we also present the Finance Bill as a House so that, as the CS asks for money, we give him the Finance Bill that will also help him in raising taxes. In order to cushion Kenyans and the economy from the negative impacts of the COVID- 19 pandemic, two months ago, His Excellency the President and the Executive that he leads introduced measures under the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020, which we passed. I really thank the House for the passage of that Tax Laws (Amendment) Act. That has made this Finance Bill, 2020 a very short and simple Bill, unlike the old Finance Bill. This is because a lot of the issues were dealt with by the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020. First, allow me to express my gratitude to Members for fast-tracking the enactment of that Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020, which had so many issues, including the reduction of VAT and the waiver given to individual Kenyans on personal taxes during this very trying moment of COVID-19 pandemic. You can see today as we stand here, 10 Kenyans have died in the last 24 hours based on the information that he Ministry of Health has given to the country. The number of those found positive has reached 213, which is the highest. So, as leaders, we must be at the forefront now to make sure that we preach and do civic education in our constituencies and our people that this disease is real and it is going to impact on our lives and the economy, and we must all work together."
}