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The contentious Finance Bill 2023 sailed through the Second Reading after a charged debate in the National Assembly yesterday. With 176 members of parliament voted in favor of the Bill, 81 voted against it. Prior to the vote, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah put up a spirited defense for the contentious Bill amid strong opposition from MPs allied to the Azimio la Umoja coalition

Absentees

Titus Khamala
Oscar sudi
Peter Salaysa
George Murugara
Babu Owino

The amended Finance Bill 2023 seeks to raise Ksh.311 billion, Ksh.100 billion higher than the initial bill. With the House Business Committee having occasionally approved the debate schedule of the bill on Wednesday, all eyes are now glued on the ruling Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja legislators who are opposed to the Bill

Top of the concessions made in the amended Bill is the Housing Levy contribution by employers and employees which has been reduced from 3 to 1.5 per cent. The Finance Committee also slashed withholding tax for Digital Content Creation from 15 to 5 per cent. 20 per cent VAT on Gaming and Betting has been reduced to 12.5 per cent while the mandatory 20 per cent of the contested amount deposit to Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for lodging Tax Appeal has been repealed.

The National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u will deliver the FY2023/24 budget statement to parliament today afternoon where the session is expected to contest over the 2023 budget proposal. In the proposal, some of the allocations placed were

Ksh.385b for the counties
Ksh40b for the parliament
Ksh22.9b for Judiciary
kSh568.8 billion Education
Health ministry Sh125.5 billion..
the Agriculture sector, Sh4.5 billion

Wakizungumza baada ya mkutano wa viongozi wa vyama tanzu,viongozi hao wanalaani mswada wa fedha hata baada ya mswada huo kuungwa mkono na wengi bungeni.Licha ya kuwa mswada huo unaonekana kuitihswa,wanasema ni wa kuwakandamizia tu wakenya na watafanya juu chini kuona wanauzika kwenye kaburi la sahau.

Kwenye shinikizo zao,wanawataka wabunge wote waikweo wa Kenya Kwanza wapinge mswada huo,Wanapinga marekebisho yoyote ati ndi o mswada huo upitishwe,na badala yake wanaitaka serikali iliyo mamlakani Kupunguza ushuru,Kupunguza matumizi ya pesa katika serikli kuu na mengine mengi

Wabunge wapinge mswada na bajeti
Mswada usifanyiwe marekebisho
Ushuru upunguzwe
Serikali ipunuze matumizi ya pesa

Muungano wa Azimio la Umoja umetoa shukrani kwa wabunge wa Azimio waliopiga kura kupinga Mswada wa Fedha wa 2023. Hii ni baada ya Wabunge 81 kati ya 257 kuupinga Mswada huo huku Wabunge 176 wakipiga kura kuuidhinisha katika awamu pili ya kusomwa hapo jana. Katika taarifa,Azimio walisema Wabunge hao 81 walizungumza kwa ajili ya mamilioni ya Wakenya waliokandamizwa.

Azimio wakati wote imeelezea matumaini yake kwamba angalau bado maji hayajazidi unga baada ya hata baaada ya Kenya Kwanza kuibuka mshindi.Wabunge wa Azimio katika Bunge hilo waliamua kuimba wimbo maarufu wa ‘Bado mapambano’ baada ya kutangazwa kwa matokeo rasmi naspika wa bunge la kitaifa Moses Wetangula.

Mswada huo sasa unapania kupitia kwa kamati ya Bunge ambapo wajumbe watakuwa na nafasi ya kuchunguza mswada huo kina kwakina.Kamati itakaopitia Mswada huo kifungu baada ya kifungu ,iwabunge watapiga kura kwa kila pendekezo.

Miongoni mwa marekebisho muhimu ya Mswada huo ni asilimia 15 iliyopendekezwa kwenye sanaa za dijitali ambapo ushuru umepunguza kutoka asilimia 15 hadi asilimia 5. Ushuru wa nyumba uliopendekezwa wa asilimia tatu pia umepunguzwa hadi asilimia 1.5 katika marekebisho hayo.

Kabla ya kura hiyo, Rais William Ruto na kiongozi wa Azimio Raila Odinga walikuwa wametoa taarifa kwa wajumbe wa mirengo yao wakisema watakuwa chini ya shinikizo zao kuhusu mswada huo.

Mama Mukami kimathi mkewe aliyekuwa mpigania uhuru wa Mau Mau Dedan Kimathi alifariki tarehe nne mwezi huu akipokea matibabu hospitali hospitali ya Nairobi.Mama huyo alifariki akiwa na miaka 96 baada ya kuugua kwa mudana kulazwa.Anatambuliwa kama mke wa shujaa aliyeuwawa na wabeberu kwenye vita vya Mau Mau.

Mazish yake iliwaleta pamoja viongozi Rais William Ruto,naibu wake Rigathi Gashaguana kiongozi wa Azimio RailaOdinga.Kiongozi wa taifa na kinara wa upinzani walionekana wakisalimiana hadharani hii ikiwa ni mara ya kwanza uchaguzi mkuu wa agosti 9.

Ikumbukwe kuwa wawili hawa wamekuwa wakirushiana cheche zinazoonyesha tofauti zao kwenye ulingo wa siasa,huku kila mmoja akionekana kuvuta upande wake.

Akizungumza kwenye mazishi hayo Odinga amemtaka Rais kupungguzia wakenya mzigo badala ya kuwalimbikizia gharama ya ushuru wakati huu maisha yamekuwa magumu kwao.

Aidha,Rais William Ruto amemjibu Raila kuwa ni kweli uchumi wan chi umedorora,ila amemkosoa kuwa ni kutokana na muungano wake na serikali iliypita.Aidha ameahidi kuwa mapendekezo ambayo amepeleka bungeni ni ya kuwafaidi wakenya ila sivyo anvyosema Raila kuwa ni kuwanyanyasa wakenya.

Vilevile,Rigathi Gashagua kwa upande wake amelaumu hatua ya Azimio kuungana na serikali iliyopita kwani anasema ndio chanzo chanzo cha masaibu yote yanayokumba nchi.Anasihi upinzani kuipa nafasi serikali iliyopo iendelee na haraktiza kukomboa uchumi wa nchi ambao unatokomea.

Naye waziri mkuu Musalia Mudavadi ameitetea serikali kuwa ina juhudi za kukwamua uchumi wan chi ambao ulikuwa umezoroteshwa na serikali iliyopita.Amewarai viongozi wa Kenya kuungana ili kufanikisha ufanisi wa Taifa.

Kutokana na hotuba walizotoa viongozi hao,ni dhahiri kuwa bado nchi itaaendelea kushuhudia joto la siasa kwani,hata baada ya kuanza maongezi ya maridhiano,wameonekana kuendeleza tofauti zao kila kuchao.Ni juhudi za mwananchi sasa kufunga mkanda na kuona jinsi atakavyojiendeleza kimaisha,na kusubiri kufufliwa kwa nchi kama anavyoahidi rais William Ruto.

UpsNi vuta nikuvute inayoshuhudiwa kati ya serikali na viongozi wa Azimio kuhusu mswada wa fedha wa mwaka huu.Mswada huu umeonekana kuwakera washikadau wengi na muungano wa walimu Kuppet wanaodai serikali imewatenga katika kutekeleza ushuru wa asilimia kutozwa kwenye mshahara wao,ili kufanikisha mradi wa nyumba uliozinduliwa naye Rais William Ruto.UpsViongozi hao wanasema tayari wakenya wanakumbwa na tatizo la bei ghali ya bidhaa na hivyo kuwa vigumu kwao kuekeza katika ujenzi wa nyumba hizo.Serikali katika mpango huo inapanaia kujenga nyumba laki mbili ambazo Rais anasema zitasuluhisha swala la uhaba wa nyumba nchini.UpsAkizungumza akiwa kwenye hafla moja ya mazishi huko Murang’a, Raila Odinga amekashifu Rais William Ruto kwa kupuuza matakwa ya wakenya na badala yake kutaka kuwanyanyasa kupitia mswada wa ushuru wa aslimia tatu kwenye mishahara yao.UpsAnasema amechukua hatua hiyo bila kushauriana naye na kupuuza matatizo ya wananchi aliowaahidi kuwasaidia.Kauli hii imeungwa mkono na viongozi walioandamana naye akiwemo aliyekuwa gavana wa Muranga Mwangi wa Iria.upsKwingineko,katika hafla ya kuzindua kitabu cha waziri wa ulinzi Aden Dwale,Kinara wa walio wengi bungeni Silvano Sosoro akihakiki kuwa mswada huo wa ushuru wa asilimia tatu itafanikishwa bila ya kupingwa,na hivyo kelele za chura hazitamzuia tembo kunywa maji.UpsHayo yanaendelea wakati mazunguzo ya maridhiano yanaendelea.Kwenye vuta nikuvute hiyo,je kuna haja ya mazunguzo haya?Kuna maridhiano gani ikiwa viongozi wataendelea kurushiana cheche na kulimbikiziana lawama mauzngumzo ya maridhiano yanapoendelea?Je mkenya ana manufaa gani ikiwa viongozi watalazimisha kupitisha miswada kulingana na uwezo na nguvu zao?Ama kweli,fahali wawili wapiganapo,nyasi ndio huumia.

Familia hiyo kutoka eneo bunge la Kabuchai maeneo ya Mukhoya imeshuhudia upasuaji wa mwili wa mpendwa wao aliyepoteza maisha yake kwenye hali tatanishi.Andrieta Nakhumicha mwenye umri wa makamu alifariki tarehe nane mwezi huu mwendo wa saa nne akiwa afisini mwa chifu wa eneo hilo la Kabuchai.

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Familia inaashiria marehemu alifariki baada ya kuanguka kwenye afisi hiyo walimokuwa wakiendeleza kesi ilyokuwa ikimkabili.Na walipomkimbiza zahanati moja huko Shikuse,ilibainika kuwa mpendwa huyo alikuwa ameshaaga dunia.

Na kama ilivyoratibiwa,Mwili wa marehemu umepasuliwa leo ili kubaini chanzo cha tanzia hiyo,ambapo upasuaji umeonyesha Andrieta alifariki kutokana na mshtuko wa moyo.

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Ripoti ya uasuaji ilionyesha kuwa ,marehemu alikuwa na uvimbe kwenye moyo wake.Familia ya mpendwa huyo ilishuhudia upasuaji ikadhibitisha na mpasuaji kuwa marehemu hakuwa na tatizo lingine. Aidha juhudi zetu za kumpata mpasuaji huyo hazikufua dafu.Kwingneko,mumewe Andrieta hakufaulu kuongea nasi kwani alizidiwa na hisia ya kumpoteza mpendwa wake.

Familia hiyo sasa imeonyesha kutoridhika na matokeo hayo na inarai washikadau kwenye kijiji hicho cha Mukhoya kuendeleza uchunguzi kulingana na ripoti hiyo ya kusikitisha hata baada ya upasuaji wa mwili wa mpendwa wao kukamilika.

Here comes the long awaited day as the bipartisan talks resume today, with Kenyans holding a lot of expectations after the talks. The co-chair of the joint committee with Mp Otiende Amollo wrote the letter to the participants inviting them to attend the meeting today.

However, some of the members in the team are said to be absent for parliamentary duties

This second meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday, but it failed due to a reason that Azimio accused Kenya Kwanza for the failure claiming Azimio are not serious about the talks and are only focused on avoiding demos from taking place.

UPS

The only issue that was settled was about the names of the joint secretaries, that forms the 14 member team, Muthomi Thiangolu representing Kenya Kwanza, while Azimio is represented by Paul Mwangi.

Later, more will be expected from the talks including the respond to Azimio demands that include lowering the price of basic commodities, opening of IEBC servers among many others

The committee is expected to agree on various issues including the timeframe for the completion of the bipartisan talks. For this case, Azimio strictly want the talks to halt in a month when Kenya Kwanza insist on the extent of the timeframe.

.The amount of issues settled in one meeting gives an impression that the meeting will probably take longer than the timeframe offered by Azimio, a reason that is allegedly prompting the Kenya Kwanza to demand more time for the talks.

Should the meeting fail on its objectives, Azimio are likely to seek other alternatives including going back to the streets for demos, with a complete cancellation of any likely plea for dialogue.

UPS

TISHIO LA MGOMO

kinara wa Azimio Raila Odinga ametishia kuandaa mgomo dhidi ya mapendekezo ya kuongeza ushuru kwenye mishahara ya wafanyikazi nchini.Akizungumza kwenye ukumbi wa Oginga Odinga,kinara huyo amesema ni mpango ulioandaliwa nia kuu ikiwa ni kiwahangaisha wananchi.

Rais William Ruto naye kwa mara nyingine ameonekana kutetea ushuru wa asilimia tatu ambao ansema utasaidia katika mradi wa ujenzi wa nyumba za bei nafuu.Amesema asilimia hiyo sasa si ushuru,bali ni mpango wa kuwekeza ili kumwezeaha Mkenya wa kawaida kumiliki nyumba za mradi huo.

Akizungumza na wanahabari jumapili,,rais alionekana akitetea mpango huo akisema nia yake kuu ni kuona wakenya wote wakiwa na uwezo wa kumiliki nyumba licha kuwepo wakenya ambao tayari wanamudu nyumba hizo.

Lakini je,hii ina manufaa au hasara ipi kwenye hali ya maisha nchini.Ikumbukwe kuwa,ni wakati kunashuhudiwa hali ngumu ya maisha nchini huku bei ya bidhaa ikiwa ghali mno .

Walioajiriwa nao tayari wanalalamikia ushuru wa juu kwenye mishahara yao na wanaomba ipunguzwe na mapedekezo ya ushuru zaidi kwao yataonekana kuwaathiri zaidi ya wanavyoathirika sasa hivi.Wanasema kuwa licha ya kutozwa ushuru wa juu,bado bei ya bidhaa ni ghali na hii inawaacha wakiwa hohehahe.

Ikiwa ni mradi wa kuwekeza kwenye mradi wa nyumba,sasa iweje kila mkenya kukumbwa na uwajibikaji kwenye sakata hii.Itakuwaje kwa wale ambao wanamiliki nyumba tayari,ama wale ambao wametosheka na hali ya nyumba

Rais William Ruto alijibu hili akisema,ni wajibu wa kila mkenya kuwajibika kuona mwenzake anajimudu kumiliki nyumba.

Serikali kupitia washikadau mbalimbali wanaonekana kusukuma mapendekezo hayo ya kuwekeza kwenye mradi wa nyumba kupitipishwa bungeni, akiwemo kiongozi wa walio wengi bungeni Sylvanos Osoro.

Lakini je,ikiwa ni mradi utakaofaidi Wakenya wote,sasa iweje ni wakenya wenyewe wanaonekana kutounga mkono huku waliopendekeza wakiwa ndio mstari mbele kuupitisha

BARAZA LA MAGAVANA LATISHIA KUSITISHA SHUGHULI ZA MAGATUZI

Baraza la magavana sasa linatishia kusitisha shughuli za magatuzi ikiwa serikali itaendelea kuchelewesha mgao wa fedha za Kaunti. Wamelalamikia hatua ya serikali kuchelewesha mgao huo tangu mwezi Machi mwaka huu.Baraza hilo limesema litasitisha shughuli hizo hadi pale ambapo serikali itasikia matakwa yao.Gavana wa Kaunti ya Kakamega Fernandez Barasa amedokeza kuwa serikali inadaiwa takriban shilingi 94.3b,deni ambalo limelemaza shughuli za magatuzi,ikiwemo malipo ya mishahara ya wafanyikazi wa kaunti.

Hiyo jana magavana hao walikutana na wakaendelea na msimamo wao iwapo serikali hiyo itaonyesha dalili za kuwapuuza.Wameelezea hofu yao kutokana na kuchelewesha kwa kwa fedha hizo.Wanadai huendaikafikia mwakamwingine wa fedha kabla ya kupokea mgao huo wa fedha.

Awali,magavana hao walikutana tarehe mbili mwezi wa Mei,kuzungumzia jinsi ya kuendesha shughuli za kaunti.Magavana hao wametishia kusitishwa kabisa shughuli zote za kaunti hadi pale serikali itashughulikia mgao huo vilivyo.Wanainyoshea serikali kidole cha lawama kwa kuwapa kisogo na kuangazia maswala mengine ikizingatiwa kuwa serikali kuu hupokea mgao huo kwa wakati na kuamua kuchelewesha mgao kwa kaunti nchini.

Iwapo shughuli za kaunti zitasitiswa,hii ina maana kuwa huduma zote ikiwemo za afya kwa wananchi hazitakuwepo kwani wahudumu wote watalazimika kubaki nyumbani anavyoeleza gavana Fernandez.

Maji yanaonekana yataendelea kuzidi unga kwenye kaunti zote 47 shughuli hizo zikisitishwa ,kwani inabainika kuwa serikali kwa sasa inakumbana na changamoto kutoka kwa wananchi na washikadau mbalimbali kutokana na hali ngumu ya maisha.

Pastor Ezekiel Released

Pastor Ezekiel Odero who was arrested over alleged links to Pastor Paul Mackenzie, was released last Thursday after spending a week behind bars. The DCI moved to court seeking to investigate Ezekiel’s bank accounts. Chief Inspector Martin Munene, told the Milimani Chief magistrate court that Pastor Ezekiel is suspected of money laundering arguing that deposit of sums of Money were made into his bank account. He claims the money is from the victims who were radicalized.

In an affidavit filed by DCI detective before Milimani Court, the office set to freeze the 15 bank accounts held at Cooperative Bank, NCBA bank, Equity Bank, KCB bank, HFC bank, Safaricom Kenya Limited Bank by Pastor Ezekiel, whom he allegedly says could be involved in the money laundering.

The file indicates that most of Pastor Ezekiel’s victims are missing and are suspected to have died mysteriously. Munene added that some of the bodies exhumed from Shakahola scene have missing body parts, suggesting the suspects were involved in human organs trade.

Ezekiel claims to be innocent, his lawyers blaming DCI taking the case to Nairobi when it is originally being handled in Mombasa Court. In his file, Pastor Ezekiel plea to the court to stop freezing his accounts and says he is falsely linked to Pastor Mackenzie

The number of bank account That Pastor Ezekiel owns have raised eyebrows of many giving an impression that he is absolutely a lucrative Kenyan. However, questions arise as to why his accounts contain dollars, Euro, Ugandan Shillings and Tanzanian shillings.

Just few days after Ezekiel’s release, the Azimio coalition leader Raila Odinga was spotted at Pastor Ezekiel Church, a situation which also raise more questions and ideally the reason why the government continues to investigate his link with the opposition leader.

KASHFA KWA MILA YA LGBTQ

Viongozi mbalimbali nchini wameibua hisia kali kuhusu uhusiano wa kimapenzi wa jinsia moja almaarufu LGBTQ.Baadhi ya mapendekezo ambayo yametolewa na viongozi hawa ni kuwa,yeyote aatakayehusishwa na visa hivi anatarajiwa kufungwa zaidi ya miaka kumi na adahabu nyingine.

Ikiwa mshtakiwa atapatikana na na hatia,basi atafungwa miaka ishirini.Zaidi ya z itakuwa ghali mno kama ikiwa mkosewa atakuwa mtoto ama mtu aliye na upungufu wowote, kwani,mshtakiwa atahukumia adhabu ya kifo.

Kukwamua uwezo wa nchi wa kushughulikia maswala ya ndani na nje ya nchi ni mojawapo ya matakwa ya shinikizo jinsia anavyosema Mbunge wa Homabay mjini,Peter Kaluma.

Marekani na baadhi ya nchi za Ulaya ndizo asili ya jamii hii,na kuikubali kama mojawapo ya haki za haki za binadamu.Hata hivyo,nchi za kiafrika kupitia viongozi wake, zimepinga vikali pendekezo hili na kuiona tabia hiyo kama inayoenda kinyume na mienendo ya jamii za kiafrika.