Gachagua warns MPs: Vote on Finance Bill 2026 will have impact on 2027 general election
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, June 18, 2026Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has said the outcome of the vote on the Finance Bill 2026 will significantly influence political fortunes ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking during a media interview in Kitale Town, Trans Nzoia County, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, Gachagua urged Members of Parliament allied to his party to be present in the National Assembly and participate in a physical vote on the contentious bill.
According to Gachagua, a recorded vote would allow Kenyans to clearly identify lawmakers who support or oppose the Finance Bill 2026, which has generated widespread public debate over its proposed tax and revenue measures.
“Today, we have the Finance Bill 2026 before the National Assembly. I have directed Members of Parliament aligned to our party to be present in Parliament so that there can be a physical vote, so that Kenyans can know who has voted for the Finance Bill and who has voted against it,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua call for transparency in voting
The former deputy president argued that transparency in the voting process is important because citizens deserve to know where their elected representatives stand on issues that directly affect their livelihoods.
He further stated that the vote would carry political consequences, suggesting that MPs’ positions on the bill could become a major campaign issue in the run-up to the 2027 elections.
“That vote today will have a big impact on next year’s elections,” he added.
Finance bill before the Committee of the Whole House
The Kenya Finance Bill 2026, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, passed its second reading in the National Assembly amid sharp clashes between pro-government and opposition lawmakers.
The proposed legislation, which seeks to raise an estimated Ksh120 billion to fund the Ksh4.82 trillion 2026/27 budget, is on Thursday, June 18, 2026, before the Committee of the Whole House for clause-by-clause scrutiny ahead of voting by the members of the National Assembly.