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{
    "id": 1441670,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1441670/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 416,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Maragwa, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "with the proposed amendments by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning Secondly, allow me to appreciate the good work that has been done by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, which went around the country and conducted public participation. That exercise was not in futility. After public participation, they wrote this Report, incorporating the views of the people, who appeared before the Committee as corporates, professionals and businessmen, among other categories. Eventually, the Committee came up with many amendments, which we are waiting to see moved in the Committee of the whole House. We are aware of some of the amendment because members of the public have interest in a majority of them. For instance, on the VAT on bread, there is a proposed amendment to remove it. The Excise Duty on vegetable oils and the 2.5 per cent tax on motor vehicles are also areas of concern to Kenyans. I may not be able to mention all the areas of concern but, I cannot forget to note that there is a proposed amendment from the Committee to remove the proposed Eco Levy on locally manufactured products like sanitary towels, diapers, phones and car batteries, among other items. Those proposals are a response to public outcry on some of the areas that the Members of this House are talking about. Some of the amendments will boost our local manufacturing industries, and we highly recommend them because they will ring-fence the markets to our farm produce. Agriculture is the backbone of this country’s economy. It will also create employment and enhance inspection and supervision of locally produced goods to ensure quality. Hon. Speaker, I do not agree with the Members who have said that this is too little, too late. Our work in this House is to make laws and amend existing ones. As the peoples’ representatives, we should advise them accordingly; that, during the Committee of the whole House, we will look at the Finance Bill clause by clause – and that it is during that time that we can introduce amendments – instead of inciting people to demonstrate on the streets. The demonstrations have made some members of the public to sleep in police cells, and others have been hurt. That shows that we do not trust the responsibility that has been given to this House to amend laws. The proposals by the National Treasury were discussed by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. It is now our turn to make sure that we propose amendments to any clause that we need to amend so that we discuss it here. By the end of it all, the Finance Bill 2024 will address all the areas of concern to our people. As much as some Members are saying that they oppose the Bill, if we go by what they propose, they will eventually be the first ones to again raise the questions of salary increments and stalled development projects. Therefore, as we contribute to this debate, let us not be populist."
}