We voted 'No' to Finance Bill, MPs Bedzimba and Mwalika say
What you need to know:
- Mr Mwalika who formerly worked for the National Treasury said the Bill amounts to state capture.
- Both Mr Mwalika and Mr Bedzimba provided video clips from the Parliamentary Hansard.
Kisauni MP Rashid Juma Bedzimba and his Kitui Central counterpart Boni Mwalika have clarified that they voted No to the Finance Bill at the National Assembly contrary to the initial reports.
The two lawmakers explained that there decision to vote No was informed by the hidden clauses in the Bill.
Mr Mwalika said as an economist and a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, he voted No after his efforts to push for abolishment of the export promotion and investment levy in the cement and steel industries, as proposed by the National Treasury, were thwarted.
"Let it be on record that I voted No as per the wishes of the people of Kitui Central Constituency, and also because the Bill had many bad clauses" Mwalika said.
The MP said Treasury had proposed a 10 per cent levy on importation of clinker and billets, and the Committee abolished the levy only for it to be sneaked back into the Bill during amendments and raised to 15 per cent.
"We have only one company producing billets and three out of seven cement companies producing clinker. Such levy means that Parliament has protected the monopoly already being enjoyed by one company" he explained.
Mr Mwalika, who formerly worked for the National Treasury and the World Bank, said the Bill amounts to state capture by handing over the regulation of a whole sector to a single individual.
Both Mr Mwalika and Mr Bedzimba provided video clips from the Parliamentary Hansard showing they voted against the Finance Bill.
They called for proper scrutiny of this year's Budget saying it had many unnecessary wasteful programs which should be abolished and the funds redirected to other meaningful projects which can uplift the economy.
