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{
    "id": 811167,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/811167/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 319,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "Once the Finance Bill is approved, the Provisional Collection of Taxes and Duties Order collapses. It is basically an instrument used to facilitate the collection of taxes. Whether this Order needs to be discussed in this House or not, Parliament has already donated that power to the CS. However, for a good Order and for purposes of the House moving with the CS, it should be debated as part of the budget speech. At the end of the budget speech, then the House can go into the Committee of Ways of Means and approve all the taxes so that they can be levied on Kenyans until the Finance Bill is finalised. Basically, this will be lively in the House. Hon. Kajwang’, you do not need to panic over it. I know it is a strange tradition because it has not been there, but it is good for Parliament to be at par with all other Parliaments on how we do business. There might have been a lapse. It is only this year that we have dealt with the Committee of Supply. I am surprised there was no debate when it was reinstated. In terms of getting Committee Members to discuss, the Committee of Supply and its passage was done differently this year. So, this is a development that needs to be nurtured. I know there is some tidying up to be done on how to integrate this with the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and the new Constitution. I hope the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee will pick this up and help in mainstreaming so as to sort this out. Just this afternoon, the Procedure and House Rules Committee brought to this House a change in the way we ask questions, so that Members can talk to their constituents. This is a gradual change on how we reinforce the House and participate in oversight. So, it will not be the CS making the Order, but he will be getting the blessing of the House. That is why the CS comes to address the House. He could have issued that Order from the Treasury building, but he comes to the House because it is recognised that we are the representatives of the people and we are speaking for the people. We are saying, on the behalf of the people, that we accept to pay those taxes until we finalise the individual items within the Finance Bill. However, in totality, we are happy with you levying the taxes for the period between your pronouncement and the time we give you the formal approval through the Finance Act."
}