Every budget cycle brings noise. This one brings an opportunity — if Kenyans choose scrutiny over outrage, and process over panic.

The Narrative Being Pushed

“This government doesn’t care about ordinary Kenyans. The Finance Bill 2026 will tax our phones, punish the middle class, and has completely ignored the PAYE relief we were promised.”

Every year, the moment a Finance Bill is tabled, a familiar cycle begins — selective outrage, deliberately incomplete reading of draft proposals, and the wilful conflation of a proposal with an enacted law. This year is no different. Let us be clear about what the Finance Bill 2026 is, what it is not, and what the government’s actual position is.

A Draft Is Not a Decree

The Finance Bill 2026 is a legislative draft — the starting point of a constitutional process, not its conclusion. The government tabling a Finance Bill is not the government imposing taxes. It is the government opening a democratic conversation.

Kenya’s constitutional framework mandates public participation, parliamentary committee scrutiny, plenary debate, and Presidential assent before any provision becomes law. Critics conflating a tabled proposal with a passed law are either misinformed or deliberately misleading the public.

• 0 Provisions enacted into law — the Bill is still in draft stage

• 47 Counties whose citizens have the right to submit public participation input

• 3 Constitutional stages remaining before any clause becomes law

On the Proposed Excise Duty: Context Matters

The proposed 25% excise duty on mobile phones has drawn sharp criticism — and the government takes that feedback seriously. That is precisely why the provision is in a draft Bill subject to public input, not a gazette notice. The proposal reflects a broader conversation about expanding the tax base to cover goods that have historically been under-taxed relative to their market penetration.

However, the government has heard the concerns about digital inclusion. Mobile phones are not luxury items for millions of Kenyans — they are tools of economic participation. This is a conversation the National Assembly’s Finance Committee is actively engaged in, and public submissions will inform the final position.

• The excise duty proposal is a draft clause, not a gazette notice. It can be amended, reduced, or removed through the parliamentary process.
• Kenya’s current excise regime on mobile handsets is among the lowest in the East African region — a fiscal reality the government must address responsibly.
• Stakeholder engagement, including industry and civil society representations, is ongoing and has already influenced earlier drafts of the Bill.

On PAYE Relief: What Was Actually Said

There is a deliberate misrepresentation circulating that the government “promised” PAYE restructuring in the 2025/26 Budget Statement and has now reneged. This is factually incorrect.

The Budget Policy Statement signalled a medium-term intention to review tax bands as fiscal space allows — not a binding commitment for the 2026 Finance Bill. CS John Mbadi has been transparent about the fiscal constraints facing the government, including debt servicing obligations inherited from previous administrations. Delivering sustainable PAYE relief requires first stabilising the revenue base — which is exactly what the Finance Bill 2026 attempts to do.

The government remains committed to reducing the burden on salaried workers. That commitment will be delivered on a fiscally responsible timeline — not one driven by electoral pressure or social media outrage cycles.

On Calls for Scrutiny: We Agree

Former LSK President Faith Odhiambo’s call for rigorous parliamentary scrutiny is not a critique of the government — it is a call to use the democratic tools the government has made available. The government welcomes that scrutiny. We built the public participation framework. We are asking Kenyans to use it.

The reference to “June 2024” is a reminder of what happens when process breaks down. The government learned from that moment. The Finance Bill 2026 was tabled earlier, with wider stakeholder pre-consultation, and with an explicit invitation for public input before committee stage. That is not the behaviour of a government that fears scrutiny.

“A draft is not a done deal. Kenyans fought for public participation — now use it. Engage, propose, critique. Democracy doesn’t end at the headline.”

The Bottom Line

The Finance Bill 2026 is a responsible, if imperfect, attempt to broaden Kenya’s tax base, reduce structural fiscal deficits, and create the conditions for sustainable public investment. Not every proposal will survive scrutiny — and that is by design.

What Kenyans deserve is not a government that never proposes anything contentious. They deserve a government that proposes, listens, adjusts, and delivers. That is what this administration is doing.

Read the Bill. Attend the public forums. Submit your views. That is your constitutional right — and this government is counting on you to exercise it.

The Finance Bill 2026 is a proposal — not a proclamation. Every clause can be changed. Public participation is open. Your voice has legal weight. Stop doom-scrolling and start engaging. Submit your views to Parliament before it’s too late.