Opposition Mps stage a walkout in protest over housing levy

Published: Feb.,21 2024 5:51 PM(EAT)

Azimio coalition has now threatened to move to court to challenge the controversial housing levy bill or resume street protests.

The opposition troops threatened the move after they stormed out of the chamber when the MPs were voting on amendments to the Bill.

They lamented over what they termed as dictatorship by the regime to push through the bill without any amendments.

“Azimio filed several amendments, some Tuesday and some today (Wednesday) morning. Unfortunately, it looks like there are some instructions from Kenya Kwanza regime that that bill be passed without amendment,” Minority Whip Junet Mohamed said.

“So we decided to walk out of the chamber because we don’t want to participate in a rubber stamping exercise or an illegitimate process,” he added.

According to Junet, the Executive has captured Parliament to rush and push through the Bill.

“This Bill does not only affect Kenya Kwanza people but all Kenyans,” he said.

The Suna East MP claimed that the government was using strong-man tactics to arm twist and intimidate MPs, especially those from the opposition to pass the Bill.

“I had a meeting with our MPs who voted for the bill in the second reading on Tuesday. I wanted to de-whip them but they cried and said how they were intimidated and coerced to support the Bill.

Nominated MP John Mbadi took issue with President William Ruto, accusing him of dictatorship in pushing the Bill down the throats of Kenyans.

“This Housing levy does not serve the interest of Kenyans. They know. The Executive knows. The outcome of this bill is already determined,” he said.

“So, as Azimio and Kenyans, we should prepare to go to court or back to where we came from (street protests)” he added.

For his part, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo said the opposition had issues with the way the bill was being rushed.

The report on the bill was tabled in the house on Thursday last week.

By Wednesday, the Bill had reached the stage where MPs were required to insert amendments.

However, the opposition MPs said their amendments were rejected.

Amollo also questioned why the tax was being imposed on gross earnings instead of net.

The bill, he added, is also vague on how the houses will be shared or distrubuted to Kenyans.