National Assembly · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Hon. Kuria Kimani advocated for several amendments to the tax bill, including zero‑rating VAT for school feeding programmes, deleting clauses that impose punitive deposits and penalties on taxpayers, and revising the National Housing Development Fund contribution to a lower, non‑capped rate. He also called for consistency in export levy adjustments and a more reasonable penalty for non‑compliance with the electronic tax system. The speech combined criticism of existing provisions with constructive proposals to broaden the tax base and protect vulnerable groups. Hon. Opiyo Wandayi vehemently opposed the proposed housing levy and related excise duties, likening them to a pyramid scheme and warning they could spark unrest among Kenya’s poor. In contrast, Hon. Ndindi Nyoro defended the Finance Bill, outlining the budget’s revenue and expenditure details and emphasizing allocations for education, infrastructure, and county shares. The debate highlighted a clash between concerns over regressive taxes and the government’s fiscal priorities. Hon. Fatuma Jehow warned that a 16% VAT on fuel could jeopardise food security and erode public trust, while Hon. Joseph Makilap and Hon. Adan Keynan defended the Finance Bill, emphasizing its necessity for revenue generation, tax reforms and Kenya’s economic development. The speakers called for national unity and collective sacrifice despite acknowledging the pain of increased taxation, resulting in a debate that combined criticism of specific provisions with overall support for the bill.
Good morning Hon. Members. We have quorum to transact business. We may start. Hon. Members, take the seats nearest you.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:
Thank you, Hon. Naomi. Next Order, Leader of the Majority Party.
Order! Hon. Didmus Barasa, reply to your Bill.
Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. Before I reply, I will donate two minutes to Hon. Sloya, the Member for Sabatia, and another two minutes to Hon. Babu Owino and then I will conclude.
Hon. Sloya, you have two minutes.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to support the Bill by Hon. Didmus Barasa on the Health Referral System. A referral system is supposed to be controlled because we have seen very many cases where patients went to different hospitals and got unnecessary referrals to other hospitals which did not have capacity to attend to the issues referred to them. A medical referral should be from a low-capacity…
Hon. Sloya, your two minutes are up. Hon. Babu Owino, proceed. There is a microphone next to you.
Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I rise to support the Bill. The fundamental human right to life is enshrined in our Constitution through the Bill of Rights. Whoever goes against that right becomes inconsistent and repugnant to natural laws and justice. Our doctors take the Hippocratic Oath to preserve or protect lives, and our nurses take the Nightingale Pledge to act professionally. Therefor…
[(Hon. Charles Nguna spoke off record)]
Who do you want to inform? Hon. Owino has finished his contribution and, therefore, you cannot inform him. Proceed, Hon. Didmus.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to respond to the debate on the Health (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.42 of 2022) . This Bill seeks to compel the Ministry of Health and health facilities to develop a referral system that will ensure that a person who has been referred to another facility for treatment is admitted seamlessly. Patients’ files should be sent electronically to the facilities …
want to ensure that when our hospital facilities refer a patient to another facility, they will continue taking care of such patient until he arrives at the facility where he has been referred to. The second thing, which is very important, is that the person referring the patient to another facility must ensure that the referral process is expeditious, seamlessly and within the shortest time poss…
Order, Hon. Members. Order! Take your seats. Hon. Members, we are now on Order No.12, the Finance Bill. It is a Bill like any other. In the budget cycle, there are always two critical Bills - the Finance Bill and, thereafter, the Appropriations Bill. We are starting debate on this Bill. The House Business Committee (HBC) has directed that we debate this Bill the whole of this morning and afternoo…
[(Several Members stood along the aisle)]
considered view, wishes to reduce that period so that more Members can contribute. I will leave that decision to the House to make. As and when any Member raises such an issue, the Chair will consider either on its own or put a question to it. Leaders of the Majority Party and the Minority Party will be entitled to 15 minutes each on this debate. I want to encourage us that this is a Bill that ha…
What is your point of order, Hon. Farah Maalim?
Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker for that delivery. I want to seek the indulgence of the Chair. Given the widespread interest on this particular Bill, exempting the leadership of the House - the Leaders of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party - I suggest that the rest of us be limited to five minutes each. If you cannot deliver a powerful argument in five minutes, you cannot de…
Hon. Bowen.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to second what Hon. Farah Maalim has said. We need to reduce the time because we have many Members who want to contribute to the Bill. You know that the Finance Bill is very important to the Members of this House and to the nation at large. It is important that we reduce the time for contribution to five minutes for Members apart from the Leaders of the Majority Par…
Yes, Hon. Donya.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. You just need a minute to know if something is right or wrong. I do not see sense in having 10 minutes for a Member when each one of us wants to debate this Bill and pour out our grievances about it. If you look at a lady, you can tell that she took a minute to prepare her make-up on the basis of how she looks, and not whole ten minutes. As I stand here, you can know that …
Can the Leaders of the Majority Party and the Minority Party approach the Chair?
[(The Leader of the Majority Party and Leader of the Minority Party consulted the Speaker)]
(Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal spoke off- record) Order, Hon. Dr. Nyikal! You are one of the most seasoned Members of this House. Apart from your long professional career in medicine, which controls human behaviour sometimes, the Chair has tremendous respect for you. You are the last Member I would expect in terms of age, profession and experience to do what you are doing. Please, be orderly, Hon. Dr. Ny…
Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Finance Bill (National Assembly Bill No.14 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. I rise before you today with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to speak to this National Assembly when you are all looking forward to this great conversation on the Finance Bill of 2023/2024.
Chairman of the Departmental Committee of Finance and National Planning, you start by saying, “Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Finance Bill be now read a second time” then you move the way you are moving.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Finance Bill (National Assembly Bill No.14 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. Hon. Speaker, I hold a lot of gratitude for the responsibility bestowed on the Departmental Committee of Finance and National Planning as per Standing Order 245. The Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning carried out the most extensive public participation in the hi…
an insurable loss occurs and, for example, I lose my car and I get insurance compensation, then I am going to pay VAT on that insurance compensation. I would like to refer Members to Page 240 of the Bill, Clause 30, Section 9 and read it out verbatim as follows: “Where a bona fide owner of taxable supplies, who has deducted input tax under subsection (1), is compensated for the loss of the taxa…
Hon. Members, you may rise. It is now 1.00 p.m. We will take a lunch break and resume at 2.30 p.m. The House rose at 1.00 p.m.
Published by Clerk of the National Assembly Parliament Buildings Nairobi