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{
    "id": 1442086,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1442086/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 184,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "this House. We have to raise revenue and resources so that we can finance the budget. These two documents must be looked at together. When we received the Finance Bill, we tabled it here. It was a proposal from the National Treasury. When a proposal comes to the House, it needs to be debated. It cannot pass the way it has been brought. It is scrutinised by the House. The Constitution gave us the opportunity to do public participation which is a key plank in passing laws or legislations in this House. The National Treasury makes wild proposals that come to the House. However, it is up to this House to sit down, debate and look at them, and see whether they are fair revenue raising measures for the country. We had thorough public participation where Kenyans spoke their feelings on the Finance Bill. They talked to the Committee and raised their voices about contentious issues in it. They were captured by the Committee that includes Members from the Minority Party and Majority Party. They listened to Kenyans and made changes to the Finance Bill. During the Committee of the whole House, the House has the power to make amendments to the proposals that came from the National Treasury. Therefore, to say that we reject the Finance Bill in totality at this time is to reject the mandate that we were given by the people. They gave us mandate to debate here, and approve or disapprove business of the House. This is the process we are undertaking. The Budget created a deficit. There are three ways of dealing with budget deficits. We can reduce, borrow or tax. These measures are available and what remains is for this House to decide on how we will move forward. The Committee listened to the proposals that were brought from The National Treasury. The proposals did not go unchanged by the Committee. The proposal of 16 per cent Value Added Tax on bread was dropped. There is a proposal in the Report for that to be dropped. It is a win for Kenyans. We will, therefore, not have the 16 per cent rise on bread in the Finance Bill, 2024. Kenyans are safe; and Hon. Mbui and the children in school can have bread without the proposed Value Added Tax of 16 per cent. We heard complaints about the Motor Vehicle Tax of 2.5 per cent. The Committee listened and dropped it and Kenyans do not have to pay. The Eco Tax that had been proposed by The National Treasury was studied and looked at by the Committee and they said that we can only levy Eco Tax on imported finished products. Products that are manufactured in this country will not attract the Eco Tax that had been proposed. That is a win for Kenyans which I celebrate."
}