Residents and stakeholders in Makueni County have expressed their views on four key economic bills during a public participation forum organized by the National Assembly in Wote Town.
They expressed their views in a meeting that was headed by the Kesses Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Julius Rutto at the Wote Social Hall in Wote town in Makueni Subcounty on Wednesday.
Among the Bills that they inputted are the Finance Bill 2026, the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill, the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2026, and the Kenya Revenue Bill 2026 that seeks to strengthen fiscal management, financial oversight, and revenue administration in the country.
Participants at the forum raised their concerns about the management and protection of public funds, particularly regarding legal provisions that govern revenue allocation and debt obligations.
In this regard, they called for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the proposed measure with a view to safeguarding the resources that should go towards improving the welfare of Kenyans in the country.
Speaking at the forum, Youth Representative Jeffrey Mutuku said that taxes imposed on mineral exploration and petroleum products are generalized in the bank through the Consolidated Fund, bringing about challenges since the law has protected the proceeds to pay debts.
“Kenya needs a mechanism that ensures proceeds from minerals and petroleum benefit both the current and future generations. The fund should be managed professionally and be subjected to regular audits to ensure accountability and public confidence,” said Mutuku.
On his part, a representative of Creative Industry, Benson Mumo, said taxes imposed on betting, trade winnings, and content creation are high, noting that it was hindering their daily earnings.
“I urge the government to reduce the taxes exempt content creation, trade winnings and betting from any kind of taxation,” said Mumo.
Earlier, the MP explained that the government intends to generate an additional raise of Sh117 billion through the Finance Bill 2026 from various provisions including clause 57 that says the law once passed by parliament and assented to by the President it will be cited as Finance Act 2026.
“The additional revenue will support infrastructure projects and other development programs. The finance bill also seeks to reorganize revenue-raising measures while streamlining existing laws to enhance their implementation,” said Rutto.
During the event, he lauded the youth for taking part in public participation and emphasized the need for them to engage in governance in an effort to boost development.
However, the MP urged the young people to seek accurate information and avoid misinformation in the social media that he said hinders development in the country.
By Miriam Ndunge
