Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has warned Treasury CS John Mbadi over plans to reintroduce some clauses in the withdrawn Finance Bill 2024, including the contentious Eco Levy.
In a statement on his official social media handles on Monday, August 19, Salasya claimed that Kenyans were watching and that the younger generation was the official opposition to the government.
The vocal legislator’s remarks come after the Treasury CS disclosed that the National Treasury was planning to reintroduce 49 clauses of the withdrawn bill as part of the government’s revenue raising proposals.
Speaking in an interview, Mbadi, however, maintained that the government will focus on areas that do not affect the common citizen while reintroducing the Eco Levy, adding that goods like sanitary pads will be exempt from the levy.
“There are about 49 clauses. Some don’t even have financial implications. On the eco levy, we will target those areas that would not affect the common citizen.
We can’t make a mistake on the sensitive areas because Kenyans have spoken,” Mbadi stated.The CS, however, noted the levy would impact multinational companies as it proposes a 10 percent excise duty which was heavily opposed by some companies before.
“They (companies) will tell us why they oppose it. For them, they are in business, but we are also of an interest as a country. If you are injurious to the environment, then you must pay to make good of the harm you have caused,” Mbadi added.
The Eco Levy was one of the controversial clauses opposed by many Kenyans during the protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
The National Treasury aims to raise an additional Ksh150 billion through the reintroduction of the levy as a measure to cover the impact of the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.
