Parliament will now hold a special sitting on on September 18 over the Finance Bill that the President rejected on Thursday evening.
Officials at parliament and at the president’s office confirmed the Gazette notice summoning parliament from a month long recess.
Parliament will hold a special sitting on the bill on Sept. 18 to reconsider the finance bill “together with the reservations of the president”, said the gazette notice signed by Justin Muturi, the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Kenyans will however continue to pay high fuel prices until the impasse on the controversial fuel tax is resolved.
It still remains unclear why the President rejected the Bill as passed by parliament in late August.
An address by the president to the nation today is expected to precede the announcement of his reservations against the bill.
This means Kenyans will continue digging deeper into their pockets as the cost of living continues to rise, dampening growth prospects for the country.
Following the move by the President, Speaker Justin Muturi issued a notice of a special sitting on Tuesday and Thursday next week through a Special Gazette Notice, recalling MPs from their recess.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 29(3) of the Standing Orders of the Members of the National Assembly, it is notified that Special sittings of the Assembly shall be held in the National Assembly Chamber in the Main Parliament Buildings, on Tuesday, September 18 and on Thursday, September 20,” Mr Muturi said in his notice, quickly circulated on social media.
His government faced a strike by some fuel dealers, anger among commuters and a lawsuit after it triggered a hike in transport and fuel prices by imposing the 16 percent value added tax on all petroleum products on Sept. 1.
If Parliament amends the Bill fully accommodating the President’s reservations, the Speaker shall submit it again to the President for assent.
[Video] President Kenyatta rejects Finance Bill : What it means for common mwananchi: President Uhuru has rejected the finance bill 2018 which Kenyans had keenly been waiting for. The president’s rejection .. https://t.co/YgP6VPkqi9
— Breaking News (@News_Kenya) September 14, 2018