The National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC-Kenya) Party Leader Martha Karua has sounded a warning over plans to reintroduce some sections of the rejected Finance Bill 2024.
Addressing the media on Thursday, August 22, 2024, Karua, accompanied by other party officials, indicated that President William Ruto’s administration is using similar tactics that sparked nationwide protests over Finance Bill 2024.
Karua, who was Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 presidential election, indicated that the Kenya Kwanza regime is plotting to force down the throat some of the contentious issues rejected in the tax-raising policy.
She highlighted that the fuel levy is among the sections of the Finance Bill that the state is contemplating returning through amendments in the National Assembly.
However, Karua has appealed to Kenyans not to lower their guard and allow the Kenya Kwanza regime to reintroduce some clauses in the rejected Finance Bill 2024.
“Some aspects of the rejected bill, such as the fuel levy and other issues, that this tone-deaf regime is now talking of returning. As Kenyans, we must not accept this, and we must continue to question,” she stated.
Mbadi hints at reintroduction
On Sunday, August 18, 2024, the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed plans to reintroduce some rejected sections of the Finance Bill.
Mbadi, who recently joined Ruto’s Cabinet under the broad-based government arrangement, told a local TV station that the eco-levy ought to be revived through proper amendments.
He, however, made it clear that products like sanitary pads will be left out of the new proposal.
“Eco levy has some meanings; we will just make sure that they are levied on those items that pollute the environment,” Mbadi stated.
“Issues that are contentious, like sanitary pads, those we will leave out,” he added.
The CS disclosed that the government is planning to table over 40 amendments from the rejected revenue-raising policy.
“They brought about 53 suggested amendments. These 53 have now been reduced to about 49,” Mbadi explained.
Martha on Adani Deal
Besides asking Kenyans to be weary of plans to bring back the rejected Finance Bill, Martha Karua also castigated the government over plans to enter into a public partnership agreement with Adani Group for the rehabilitation of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Karua lamented that the said deal is shrouded in secrecy, thus raising eyebrows on how the country would benefit from the arrangement.
“It is the same script the regime is using to gift the Adani Group our main gateway, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. I am saying to gift them because this is surrounded by opaqueness and nobody knows what benefit Kenya will get,” she stated. By Lutta Njomo, People Daily
