The Nairobi County Assembly resumes sessions, Tuesday after a month-long recess with the Finance Bill topping the agenda.
According to Nairobi County Assembly Budget and Appropriations committee chairperson Robert Mbatia, the main agenda for MCAs is very clear.
“As we resume, the house shall immediately pass the Finance Bill which will probably be before the end of the month,” he said.
The Budget Committee has already met all stakeholders in relation to the finance bill, giving them an opportunity to voice their views on the proposed taxes.
The bill has proposed several charges as part of measures aimed at raising Sh19.8 billion own-source revenue target for the financial year ending June 30, 2022.
Top among the new levies will see offloading of different produce in Nairobi for the first time attract a fee.
Market traders and business associations in the city had already opposed the proposed finance bill, saying some of the charges are punitive and unnecessary.
However, Mbatia emphasised that the final charges will be fair to all concerned stakeholders.
“As a committee, we have looked into the stakeholders proposals and also consideration of the wananchi and current status of the economy. The bill will either be approved or rejected by the house,” he added.
Once approved by the county assembly it will take effect immediately Governor Ann Kananu assents to it or after 14 days of publication in the Kenya Gazette.
The house is also expected to receive the County Fiscal Strategy Paper 2022/2023 from the executive.
The CFSP is a guide to the county budget process with binding policy directions on budget formulation and implementation in the medium term.
In other businesses, Speaker Benson Mutura will be expected to officially declare Korogocho ward seat vacant following the death of area MCA Naftali Ogola Owuor.
Ogola, 61, died last December after a long illness.
Mutura is also supposed to inform the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of the declaration.
The county assembly will also look into the 11 bills which were tabled for consideration during the fifth session.
They include Nairobi City County Cultural Heritage (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The Nairobi City County Polytechnics and Home Craft Centres Bill, 2021, The Nairobi City County Public Open Spaces Use and Maintenance Bill, 2021, The Nairobi City County Early Childhood Development and Education Bill, 2021.
Also, the Nairobi City County Plastic Control (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Nairobi City County Civic Education Bill, 2021, The Nairobi City County Appropriation Bill, 2021 by the Budget and The Nairobi City County Betting, Lotteries and Gaming (Amendment) Bill 202, Nairobi City County Public Nuisance Bill 2021, The Nairobi City County Air Quality Bill 2021 and The Nairobi City County prevention of violent extremism Bill 2021.
The county assembly is expected to dispense off 97 unresponded requests of statements that have piled up from the fourth and fifth sessions of the assembly calendar. BY THE STAR