NAIROBI, Kenya—The Finance Bill 2026 has cleared the National Assembly after a heated debate that exposed deep divisions between government and opposition lawmakers, paving the way for the legislation to be forwarded to President William Ruto for assent.
The Bill sailed through the Third Reading on Thursday after 122 Members of Parliament voted in favour while 40 voted against it following more than five hours of intense debate in the House.
The vote came amid dramatic scenes in Parliament, including the ejection of Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga during proceedings. Kalasinga, a vocal critic of President Ruto’s administration, was ordered out of the chamber by Temporary Speaker Farah Maalim for what was termed as disorderly conduct.
Scheme
Speaking after his removal, Kalasinga accused the government of deliberately targeting opposition lawmakers to reduce their numbers in the House and ensure the Bill passed without significant resistance.
“The scheme was to reduce the number of opposition MPs so that the Bill could sail through,” he claimed.
The legislator maintained his opposition to the proposed law, arguing that the government was already collecting substantial revenue from taxpayers but continued to spend public resources recklessly.
“I will not relent. I will continue opposing this Bill at every opportunity because Kenyans are already overburdened,” said Kalasinga.
His sentiments were echoed by Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, who accused Parliament of surrendering its oversight role and becoming an extension of the Executive.
According to Oundo, lawmakers were failing in their constitutional responsibility to protect citizens from policies that could worsen the cost of living.
Overburdening Kenyans
Shortly after the Bill’s passage, leaders affiliated with the United Opposition condemned the vote, accusing the government of imposing additional economic hardship on ordinary Kenyans already struggling with rising living costs.
The opposition has consistently maintained that the Finance Bill should be rejected in its entirety rather than amended, arguing that it contains measures that could increase the financial burden on households and businesses.
Outside Parliament, public opposition to the Bill has also been growing, with some Kenyans warning of protests and threatening political consequences for legislators who supported the legislation.
Fear
The passage of the Bill comes after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula declined to publicly disclose the names of MPs who backed the legislation during earlier stages, citing concerns over possible victimisation and public backlash.
However, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah defended the Bill and dismissed claims by the opposition that it introduces new taxes on mitumba clothing and rental housing.
Ichung’wah accused opposition leaders of spreading misinformation and misleading Kenyans about the contents of the proposed law.
“You are telling Kenyans that the Bill is aimed at taxing mitumba clothes worn by many low-income earners. This is misleading the public. There is nothing like that,” he said.
He further rubbished allegations that the government intends to introduce taxes targeting rental houses, insisting that several claims circulating about the Bill were false.
Government supporters hailed the passage of the Finance Bill 2026 as a major victory that will support implementation of the 2026/27 budget and enhance revenue collection for key development programmes.
With parliamentary approval now secured, the Bill awaits President William Ruto’s assent before becoming law.
