Manyatta MP John Gitonga Mukunji has called for changes to the National Assembly Standing Orders to require at least two-thirds of Members of Parliament to participate in voting on Finance Bills, arguing that such legislation has far-reaching consequences for millions of Kenyans.
Speaking during an interview on Monday, June 22, Mukunji said Finance Bills should be treated differently from ordinary legislation because they directly affect the cost of living, taxation and the country’s economic direction.
The lawmaker pointed to the public debate surrounding the Finance Bill 2026 and the events that unfolded during last year’s Finance Bill discussions, saying the importance of such legislation demands a higher level of participation from elected leaders.
“There should be a different prerequisite for voting on the Finance Bill, and I believe we should go to the levels of impeachment, requiring that we need to raise the quorum to two-thirds when we are voting for such a consequential bill in the lives of our people,” Mukunji said.
His remarks come days after the National Assembly passed the Finance Bill during its Third Reading, with only 162 MPs taking part in the vote despite the House having a total membership of 349 elected and nominated lawmakers.
Out of those who voted, 122 MPs supported the Bill while 40 voted against it. A total of 187 MPs did not participate in the final vote.
The outcome sparked fresh debate over the level of representation in Parliament, with questions emerging over why more than half of lawmakers were absent during deliberations on one of the country’s most important pieces of legislation.
Under the current Standing Orders, parliamentary business can proceed as long as the House meets the required quorum of 50 members. However, Mukunji believes Finance Bills should be subjected to stricter voting thresholds to ensure lawmakers are fully accountable to the people who elected them.
“If you cannot participate in this, then you are not representing your people,” he said.
The MP, who has already declared his intention to contest the Embu governor’s seat in the 2027 General Election under the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), suggested that political calculations may have influenced the decision by some lawmakers to stay away from the vote.
“Judging from what has happened on this bill, that 187 members didn’t vote, many of them fearing to be seen voting on this side or that side, depending on who they want to impress,” he added.
As per Mukunji, the parliamentarians should review their regulations to ensure that the legislators are required to take clear sides when passing laws that can affect the people of Kenya.
The MP of Manyatta Constituency is one of those who opposed the Finance Bill, arguing that the debates had given the parliamentarians a chance to discuss economic issues that were affecting Kenyans all over the nation.
The MP has also referred to the promise by the president of Kenya to allow the employees being paid Ksh30, 000 or less monthly not to pay PAYE tax.
However, according to the Cabinet Secretary of National Treasury John Mbadi, the proposal is being evaluated and its effect on government budgets analyzed.
While addressing the Parliament after presenting the 2026/27 budget, John Mbadi has mentioned that implementing the tax relief without proper planning can cost the government lots of money.
This proposal is bound to bring more discussion on the issue of attendance and responsibilities of the parliamentarians.
