By Paul Mukana
Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga has elicited mixed reactions after openly declaring that he will oppose the eagerly awaited 2023 finance bill when it is tabled before parliament in due course.
“The constitution says I am your delegate and I am your employee. Those who will now accept that I go to the parliament should oppose and raise their hands, I have found the answer and I will do it”, he bickered.
The outspoken lawmaker made the remarks during his homecoming ceremony in his Kabuchai home turf.
Hon. Majimbo retained the Kabuchai parliamentary seat in the August 2022 elections via a Ford Kenya party ticket which is an affiliate of the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
He becomes the first Kenya Kwanza parliamentarian from the western political landscape to declare opposition to the 2023 financial bill proposals.
The event was ardently skipped by most Kenya Kwanza legislators who political pundits have opined that they were avoiding being spotted by the president at the function.
Hon.Majimbo poured cold water on the absence of the Kenya Kwanza law makers.
“I didn’t know that the leaders failed to come here because of the issue”, he wondered.
The MP besieged the locals to freely express their views over the bill.
During his homecoming ceremony, Hon.Majimbo contacted a mock poll and asked those who were opposing the 2023 finance bill to raise up their hands and the hands were many.
On the contrary, when he sought those supporting the bill, it was silence as the locals gave the 2023 finance bill a wide berth.
This comes barely a week after president William Ruto called for the public voting of the bill by MPS so that he can identify those opposed to the 2023 finance bill.
“I am waiting to see the MP who will oppose the housing bill levy in the finance bill 2023 ,then Kenyans will know he is an enemy of the people and against employing jobless youths through the housing fund”, Ruto said at a past event.
The Finance Bill 2023 was tabled on 28th April 2023 and tabled in parliament for the first reading on 4th May 2023.
The bill has proposed a number of changes to the various tax statutes in Kenya in addition to other tax related laws.
It has proposed a string of tax changed aimed at broadening the country’s revenue base to aid in the collection of the huge 3.6 trillion budget for the 2023-24 financial year.
