Azimio la Umoja leaders vowed on Friday, June 2, to scrap plans to pass the Finance Bill 2023 ahead of Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u’s reading of budget estimates on Thursday, June 8.
The leaders, led by Minority National Assembly leader Opiyo Wandayi, stated that there was no need for the CS to read the budget estimates if they planned to oppose the Finance Bill.
He stated that the contentious Finance Bill was critical to the Budget because it paved the way for the taxation that finances the budget.
According to the Azimio leader, the only solution was for President William Ruto’s administration to withdraw the bill and restart the process.
“We confirm that we oppose the Finance Bill in its entirety.” In fact, if the Finance Bill is not withdrawn and reintroduced, there is no need for anyone to come to Parliament and read the budget,” he stated.
Kisumu West Member of Parliament Rosa Buyu echoed Wandayi’s sentiments, criticizing Ruto for taxation policies that she claimed would drive up the cost of living.
“You gave the common man a new name, hustlers, but the first thing you did was raise the prices of all the hustlers’ commodities,” she explained.
However, the leaders did not elaborate on how they would counter the government’s opposition to the Bill, which is set to be debated in Parliament next week.
