Azimio MPs Barred From Traveling For Full Attendance In the Finance Bill Voting
National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi revealed that the Azimio la Umoja Coalition has prohibited all members of the National Assembly from traveling abroad before Tuesday next week.
Wandayi told the press on Thursday, shortly after the budget reading in Parliament, that the coalition wanted to make sure that all of its members voted on the Finance Bill.
Kuria Kimani, Chairperson of the Finance Committee, revealed that the bill, which was subject to public participation, will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday.
“If the report does not reach our expectations, then as Azimio, we are going to mobilise to reject that bill but this time around, we shall do something different,” he added.
“First, All MPs in the National Assembly have been put on notice that they have to be physically present at the time of the debate and voting on the Finance Bill. As a matter of fact, we have asked our members not to engage in any unnecessary travel outside the country.”
Wandayi, however, explained that the opposition had tasked the committee to ensure that it incorporates the views of Kenyans and other stakeholders, without which its members have been directed to shoot it down.
The lawmaker went on to say that the situation was so serious before the bill was passed that sick MPs would have to appear in Parliament as well.
He also stated that the opposition was already contacting Kenya Kwanza MPs who were also opposed to the bill to ensure that it was not passed.
“Those of us who may be unlucky to be unwell, we shall pull them out of their hospital beds to come and vote,” he insisted.
“But we want to go beyond that, we want to engage our colleagues who are not in Azimio. There are Kenya Kwanza MPs who have been speaking against the bill in the field, we want them to put that talk into practice.”
His statement comes as lawmakers’ phone numbers have been leaked, exposing them to thousands of text messages and phone calls from irate Kenyans demanding that the bill be repealed.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya stated that he received over 5,000 messages, while National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro received 3,000.
Since the beginning, the Kenyan public has expressed its dissatisfaction with a slew of new and increased taxes contained in the bill, sending messages in droves with the same message: ‘Reject the bill’.
Azimio MPs Barred From Traveling For Full Attendance In the Finance Bill Voting
