Kimani Kuria, Chairman Finance and National Planning Committee at the National Assembly has urged Kenyans to actively participate in the coming 2025 Finance Bill. Photo: Kimani Kuria.
Kimani Kuria, chairperson Finance and National Planning Committee in the National Assembly has acknowledged the place of public participation in the upcoming Finance Bill 2025.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Tuesday, April 8, he appreciated that Kenyans have started engaging on the conversation about what they dislike and like in the proposed Finance Bill 2025. He asked Kenyans to avail themselves during the participation.
“I encourage Kenyans, when the process start, please go to these meetings. We will also be providing easier way of communication through WhatsApp and monitoring the communication through the number provided,” he stated.
According to Kuria, the public participation this year will pave way for Kenyans to understand the budget making process, to avert what happened last year leading to protests, when people learnt about the Finance Bill 2024 when the process was at the final stages.
“As we now start the process, we have a responsibility of not just educating but the public will have a chance to understand this process long before it starts, to avert what happened last year, by the time people were running with the bill, it was at the tail end.
However, he acknowledged that the Bill had gone through public participation. He further said social media will be taken as an active public participation feedback, as the committee aims to make it involving rather than the usual traditional of Town Hall meetings.
“The way public participation was carried out was so traditional. We need to be taking feedback from social media as active public participation. We want to make public participation much more involving,” he commented.
He pleaded with Kenyans to read the whole Bill, understand the budget process before objecting, instead should come out with a specific clause that feels oppressive, and alternatives to make it better, as the bill is not meant to burden Kenyans, but improve their lives.
“Get informed, when you are saying reject, go to the Bill find out which specific clause you find offensive and how could we make it even better! Because the essence of this piece of legislature is not to punish anyone, it is supposed to ease of cost of living support local manufacturing and ensure money is allocated for the correct purpose, I believe if we get the budget correct with the right information we are going to have a great republic,” he urged.
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