The public hearings on the Finance Bill 2025 and the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill 2025 across various counties has officially concluded, paving the way for debates and potential amendments by the national assembly.

The exercise kicked off on Saturday, May 31, 2025, and saw the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning actively gathering public input on these two critical proposed legislations, with the process concluding this Friday, June 6, 2025, with residents from Kwale, Mombasa, and Kilifi counties giving their views.

The Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2025, contains stringent measures to protect citizens from dishonest virtual asset traders.

The committee, under Molo Member of Parliament (MP) Kimani Kuria, reassured Kwale County residents that their views would be thoroughly considered as they prepare their report starting Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza urged the residents to support the bill, touting its provision to exempt taxation of retirement benefits as crucial.

“For the first time, we have a proposed taxation law that is not imposing new taxes. Further, the law seeks to exempt retirement benefits from taxation. This is a good law, and I want to urge you to support it,” Tandaza said.

He also cautioned the people against spreading misinformation about the bill, urging the public to read the proposed laws and seek clarification on any sections they don’t understand. 

“Let us desist from spreading misinformation about this bill. Those of you who have participated in this exercise have been enlightened on the provisions of the two bills. So do not allow anyone out there to mislead you,” he cautioned. 

Safeguard Digital assets

Meanwhile, Lunga Lunga MP, Munga Chiforomodo, noted that the upcoming Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill would safeguard the public from unscrupulous traders. 

“There have been a lot of unscrupulous businesses here on digital assets in this county. We are happy that through this bill, stringent measures will be put in place to ensure that those who wish to participate in the trade of digital assets are well protected,” he stated. 

The foregoing comes after the committee committed to integrating the citizens’ input as the exercise kicked off in Nairobi. 

Lang’at plea

In what was akin to heeding the lessons from the fate that met the 2024 Finance Bill, Benjamin Langat, the committee’s vice chair, pledged to fully consider citizens’ views in the final report presented to the House.

“This is not an exercise in futility. It’s a very important exercise. This finance bill is a proposal to the National Assembly, and it has to undergo the necessary legislative process, including public participation, to become law,” Langat explained.

To avoid the repeat of what happened, Langat urged the public to consider the current bill not in isolation, but in conjunction with the proposed budget estimates.

“I want to implore the public to desist from looking at the Finance Bill in isolation. When you tell us to employ JSS teachers or even more nurses, the money to cater for that must come from somewhere. This bill is the instrument we use to raise such funds,” he stated.