Duale says he expects CS Rotich to propose Bill changes

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale in Nairobi on December 18, 2016. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Majority Leader Aden Duale said his expectation is that National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Rotich will propose changes to the Finance Bill, whose Second Reading began last evening, and also submit to the House a mini-Budget.

  • On Tuesday, Mr Rotich met the House’s Finance Committee in Mombasa to make his proposed changes to the Finance Bill.

The government’s spokesman in the National Assembly last evening appeared to place the responsibility of reducing food prices squarely on Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

Majority Leader Aden Duale said his expectation is that Mr Rotich will propose changes to the Finance Bill, whose Second Reading began last evening, and also submit to the House a mini-Budget.

“I expect the minister to use this Bill to reduce the cost of living,” Mr Duale said as he initiated debate on the Finance Bill.

On Tuesday, Mr Rotich met the House’s Finance Committee in Mombasa to make his proposed changes to the Finance Bill. He was last evening reported to have also been in a meeting with his bosses at State House as the government grapples with measures to reduce the cost of food.

Mr Duale told the Nation the House would likely know what measures have been proposed by the afternoon on Wednesday.

“Either way, on both fronts, I will have statement in the afternoon tomorrow (Wednesday),” said Mr Duale.

In the Finance Bill, Treasury has asked MPs to approve that maize flour and bread be zero-rated. The two are currently exempted from Value Added Tax under the Act passed in 2013.

In the Houseon Tuesday, high food prices was the trending topic.

Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga sneaked into the chamber a packet of milk she said she had bought at Sh65 at a supermarket on her way to Parliament.

She said she had also bought a packet of maize flour at Sh180 but that had been taken away from her on her way in.

“Kenyans can no longer continue with this kind of situation,” she said.

Opposition MPs used the debate on the Finance Bill to criticise the government for failing to come up with measures to cushion Kenyans against effects of drought.

Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi linked the failure of crops to the bad fertiliser seen at the port of Mombasa last year.

Imenti South MP Kathuri Murungi said his constituents had asked him to ask the government to act on the cost of food.