Azimio Mps
The Azimio la Umoja coalition has resolved to reject the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
Addressing the media on Tuesday evening, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi urged Kenyans to continue pressuring the government to drop the entire bill.
“As a coalition, we reject the entire bill and demand its total withdrawal. We encourage Kenyans to continue engaging with the bill and continue demanding that the government does the right thing,” said Wandayi.
The Ugunja MP said that the 10 percent Export Promotion Levy on clinkers for the manufacture of cement should be removed.
“We demand that the Export Promotion Levy of 10 percent on clinkers for the manufacture of cement is a tool for stagnation. It is meant to stifle competition in a particular sector with a view to protecting a particular investor in a specific sector,” said Wandayi.
The National Assembly Minority leader also called for the removal of the proposed increase of fuel levy by Ksh.9 per litre
“We also demand the outright dropping of the proposal by Transport CS to increase fuel levy by Ksh9 per litre. We are against the idea that transport, which includes the movement of goods and people is some kind of luxury that this country can do without. Without movement of goods and people, we have no economy to talk about.” Wandayi added.
Further, he accused the government of playing mind games with citizens after some tax proposals were dropped on Tuesday.
“The changes to the Bill announced today create a feeling that the government is involved in mind games with the citizens. They create the feeling that some of the proposals now dropped were included in the initial bill just to create outrage and give the administration the opportunity to claim to be listening and caring,” Wandayi added.
Also Read: Gov’t Makes U-Turn, Drops Major Tax Proposals From Finance Bill 2024
