MPs angered by move to back fuel tax

What you need to know:

  • ODM leader Raila Odinga whipped his MPs and those allied to Nasa to issue a statement backing the eight per cent VAT on petroleum products, for a year.
  • Raila Junior Odinga through his twitter handle @Railajunior called on Kibra MP Kenneth Okoth, to ignore the Nasa statement and stand with Kenyans.
  • Mr Nyamita in a WhatsApp group; Uriri We Want called on God to help him as he will not accept the change by Mr Kenyatta.

The decision by Nasa to back President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposals on fuel tax has angered some of its lieutenants, signalling the controversy the economic measures are generating.

On Tuesday evening, ODM leader Raila Odinga whipped his MPs and those allied to Nasa to issue a statement backing the eight per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products, for a year. But it is Mr Odinga’s son who was first to oppose the directive.

Raila Junior Odinga through his twitter handle @Railajunior called on Kibra MP Kenneth Okoth, to ignore the Nasa statement and stand with Kenyans.

“Unfortunately as a Kenyan citizen, I am unconvinced by the statement put out by Nasa on the VAT on fuel, non of the conditions they have put up are measurable and even if they were, they are nowhere near closing the deficit on the debt. I call for my MP @okothkenneth to reject,” he twitted.

SUPPORT BILL

Rongo MP Paul Abuor and his Uriri counterpart Mark Nyamita also took to social media through their handles to say they will reject the move by the opposition to support the bill.

The two said they have chosen to stand with Kenyans and their conscience in making their decisions.

“I stand with my employers, the people of the great constituency of Rongo. The President’s memo must fail. No VAT on fuel," Abuor posted on Facebook.

Mr Nyamita in a WhatsApp group; Uriri We Want called on God to help him as he will not accept the change by Mr Kenyatta.

"Great people on this debate allow me to stand with my conscience. I will vote to reject the memo!," Mr Nyamita posted.

SPARKED DEBATE

The leaders reaction have sparked debate on who actually advised Mr Odinga to whip his legislators to accept the offer to side with Mr Kenyatta on the contentious bill.

Yesterday, the debate on fuel levy failed to kick off after Speaker Justin Muturi turned down attempts by a section of MPs to have President Kenyatta’s memorandum on VAT as well as the Supplementary Appropriations Bill debated during the special sitting.

The Speaker insisted that the order of business states that the President’s reservations on the Finance Bill, 2018, and the report of the Budget and Appropriations committee on the supplementary estimates for 2018/19 financial year will be held tomorrow.