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Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina has warned the National Assembly Members to dismiss the 2024 Financial Bill given the opposition it has generated from Kenyans.

The bill is a separate law outlining revenue-raising proposals that will accompany the 2024/25 budget, but given how Kenyans, especially the youth, have reacted to them, it shows widespread opposition. 

Ole Kina warned the MPs that they risk being trashed by the electorate if they go on to pass the bill into law.

“Let me tell you, Members of Parliament of the National Assembly, it’s not good! Kenyans are pissed off! Don’t mess with Gen Z, nikubaya! Trash the Finance Bill or you will be trashed!” Ole Kina wrote on his X handle.

One of the MPs to have voiced his opposition to the bill already is Starehe’s Amos Mwago.

“Just to be clear on the issue of the previous Finance Bill 2023, I voted no. Those bloggers claiming that I voted yes should find a better way to chase clout. My stand still remains; I’ll still vote no against the punitive finance bill,” Mwago said in a statement on X.

Sam Atandi of the Alego Usonga constituency also vowed to vote against the bill.

“I have received more than 150 SMS and 45 WhatsApp messages from Kenyans asking me to vote against Finance Bill 2024. I assure you that, just like in 2023, I will do the needful,” Atandi posted on X.

Initially, opposition leader Raila Odinga demanded amendments to the bill.

“The tax burden in Kenya is at its highest level since independence, but public services have largely remained on their knees. As if this is not bad enough, the Finance Bill 2024 proposes even more and higher taxes. Consequently, the people and the country will be way worse off at this time in 2025 if the Finance Bill 2024 does not undergo radical surgery.

“Most of the tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024 are as insensitive as they are callous. We see no positive result that the country, which is a net importer of nearly everything, can derive from the proposal to raise Import Declaration Fees from 2 per cent to 3 per cent. The impact is that the cost of goods will go up,” Raila argued in his recent statement over the bill.

Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, who is also the Minority Whip, has promised that the opposition MPs will not walk out of the house during the debate in order to oppose the bill.