Finance Bill 2025: Speak now or forever hold your peace

Members of the National Assembly's Finance Committee led by Chair Molo MP Kimani Kuria during the commencement of Public Hearings on the Finance Bill, 2025 in Nairobi. May 22,2025 [Elvis Ogina,Standard]

Public Participation on the Finance Bill 2025 kicked off this week in the counties with sessions in Migori and Busia on Tuesday, and in Trans Nzoia and Nandi counties on Wednesday.

Last week, the National Assembly Committee on Finance and National Planning received views from stakeholders in Nairobi. The Finance Bill outlines how the government seeks to raise money to finance its annual budget.

Unlike the Finance Bill 2024, the current Bill does not seek to raise taxes. It, however, proposes charges to the Income Tax (Cap 470), Value Added Tax Act 2013 and the Excise Duty Act, among other things.

Public participation is critical for this Bill to gain general acceptance. While the same was done during the Finance Bill 2024, citizens were aggrieved that their views were not taken into consideration when Parliament, with minor amendments, passed the Bill on June 18, 2024. Days later, there were countrywide protests that compelled President William Ruto to withdraw the Bill altogether.

Citizens should take advantage of this opportunity to ventilate on this important document so that we can avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenes witnessed last year. Public views can either be oral or written submissions, which allows everyone to play a role. Therefore, if you choose not to present your views, do not light bonfires later claiming Bill is defective.

Importantly, the collection of public views should not be seen as merely aimed at satisfying a constitutional requirement. The government, through Parliament, should not try and shove the Bill down Kenyans' throats by ignoring their views. Kenyans have the right to decide how they are governed. After all, they are the ones who pay the taxes that grease the engine of State.

This is a highly emotive issue, especially now that most citizens are struggling to put food on the table and take care of other family responsibilities. They should not only be listened to, but their views must count in crafting the final document.