Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

MPs were offered Sh2 million each to vote for the controversial 2024 Finance Bill to move to the committee stage, despite spirited protests by civil society groups, opposition lawmakers and young people, Juja MP George Koimburi claimed yesterday.

Some 204 lawmakers voted for the tax-collecting proposals, while 115 rejected them.

The bill will move to the Third Reading. If approved at that stage, it will go to President William Ruto, who will either sign it or send it back to the National Assembly with his recommendations.

The bill seeks to give the Ruto administration a legal framework to collect more taxes that the National Treasury argues the country badly needs

Ruto claims the taxes will help raise Sh346 billion to pay Kenya’s debt and fund development projects.

Some MPs who voted for the bill have come out to defend their decisions, arguing that they okayed the proposed law to facilitate social-economic development in their constituencies.

But Koimburi yesterday claimed that their self-serving statements were untrue and that each had pocketed Sh2 million.

Speaking at AIPCA Ndururumo Church in his constituency, Koimburi said he refused to take the bribe and voted against the bill.

Before the House debate, he alleged, MPs allied to the Kenya Kwanza administration were invited to a meeting with the leadership of the country where they were promised the money if they passed the bill.

“I decided to stand with Kenyans and voted no for the finance bill to unchain our country from the possibilities of being held captive by other countries,” said Koimburi.

“The bill had proposed to charge Kenyans 2.5 percent of the value of every vehicle they own. This is tantamount to incarcerating Kenyans and the country cannot be liberated by everyone, it can only be saved by the brave men and women who are united for a course.”

“A day before we went to vote, and the reason why I rejected it, we had been asked to go for money, and as you can see, money is now carried in sacks here in Kenya,” he said.

“We were told that every vote supporting the bill would see the voter receive two million shillings.

“I asked why the money was being given to MPs and without questioning too much, I reread the bill overnight and that is when I realised that even the current freehold title deeds are bound to be changed into leasehold title deeds, which means the government will now be dictating when one can live on their land.

“We are selling our country to colonialists whom we kicked out of the country long ago.”

His claim could further enrage Kenyans who have been protesting on the streets and social media, pleading with MPs to reject the bill that they describe as oppressive.

Koimburi said he was committed to serving his constituents, adding that he could not support a bill that he believed will disadvantage the public.

The MP also condemned the police brutality witnessed during the recent protests against the bill in Nairobi.

Meanwhile, seven MPs from Kakamega county who voted for the finance bill have defended their action, saying their main objective was to ensure enough resources were allocated to develop their respective constituencies.

The lawmakers spent the weekend explaining to their constituents why they decided to vote “Yes”.

They accused opponents of the bill of using propaganda to poison the minds of the public.

Fred Ikana (Shinyalu) said yesterday he supported the bill because it included budgetary allocations for key development projects in his constituency.

“We have Sh100 million for construction of a technical training institute in Ileho, Isukha East ward, and Sh50 million, including 36 transformers for connecting my constituency to the national grid,” Ikana said.