A Must-Attend, No Excuses- Azimio To All MPs In Push To Reject Finance Bill
Finance Committee Chairperson Kuria Kimani revealed that the bill, which had been subjected to public participation, will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday.
Marvin Chege 
National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi on Thursday, June 13 revealed that all Members of Parliament (MP) must attend the voting of the Finance Bill 2024 as it builds up its numbers to shoot down the controversial bill.
Speaking to the press shortly after witnessing the reading of the budget in Parliament, Wandayi revealed that the coalition was banking on all its members to participate in the voting process.
Finance Committee Chairperson Kuria Kimani revealed that the bill, which had been subjected to public participation, will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday.
"As Azimio, we have said that the Committee on Finance had its time in listening to the views of Kenyans and other stakeholders," he stated.
A bird's eye view of Parliament as of June 6, 2024. /PARLIAMENT OF KENYA
"We are giving them time until Monday. When they come back to the house on Tuesday with a report, we expect it to reflect the feelings and views of Kenyans that were presented before them."
Wandayi added that the opposition had directed that the committee include the views of Kenyans and other stakeholders.
"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.
So serious is his rallying call that the coalition is demanding that every single MP in its faction be present for the voting, expected to take place from Tuesday.
This means that MPs will have to cancel their travel plans abroad, if any, and will have to appear regardless of their circumstances, including being unwell.
Wandayi also called upon MPs from the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition who have been against some of the proposals in the Finance Bill to show up too and make their stance heard, and firm!
"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," he added.
"Those of us who may be unlucky to be unwell, we shall pull them out of their hospital beds to come and vote. 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."
Wandayi's rallying call comes amidst the MPs themselves lamenting being bombarded by millions of text messages from Kenyans across the country coming after their phone numbers were leaked across social media platforms.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya revealed that he received over 5,000 messages while National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro got 3,000 messages.
Since the proposals were announced, Kenyans have been opposing the Finance Bill in its entirety, with a slew of new and increased taxes contained in the bill taking the temper of Kenyans to breaking point. They sent their messages in droves with one message, 'Reject the bill'.
Last year, 176 MPs voted in favour of the Finance Bill 2023 and 81 lawmakers opposed it, with no abstentions as was announced in the National Assembly, something Azimio hopes will change, despite being outnumbered in the House by the ruling coalition.
