Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has claimed that several Members of Parliament aligned to the Kenya Kwanza coalition are planning to oppose the controversial Finance Bill 2023.
Speaking on Monday, June during an interview with NTV, Omtatah revealed that a section of the MPs have approached and urged him to keep the fight against the bill and ensure it is down.
He claimed that a vocal ally of President William Ruto offered him financial support to fight the bill.
“Wabunge wengi wa Kenya Kwanza wamekuja kwangu. Hata kuna mmoja tena ambaye ni mstari wa mbele sana Kenya Kwanza. Amekuja kwangu leo na elfu kumi akanipatia akasema Omatatah wacha nichangie ile photocopy ulifanya nikulipie kwa sababu umetuokoa kutoka pahali pangumu,” Omtatah claimed.
The activist turned politician on Friday, June 2 moved to court to seek orders to suspend the debate on the Finance Bill and bar the Speaker of the National Assembly from transmitting it to President Ruto.
Omtatah argued that some proposals in the bill violated the Constitution.
“The power to impose taxes is not absolute, it is a donated power by the people to the executive and they deposit it not to the Executive but to the parliament.
“Article 209 and 210 of the Constitution states clearly that taxation can only be done as provided by the legislation…that power cannot be donated to any other organ,” said Omatatah.
President Ruto on Sunday warned MPs of dire consequences should they oppose his bill.
“I am waiting to see the MPs who will go against the government’s plan to give their voters employment. We want to see and know those going against this Finance Bill,” the president stated.
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