Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi on Tuesday, May 26 took public participation on the Finance Bill 2026 to Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), interacting with retailers from different sectors.
During his visit to retailers, CS Mbadi got an opportunity to decipher the proposals contained in the finance bill to the traders, in a bid to separate facts from falsehood and propaganda.
More specifically, Mbadi interacted with mobile phone retailers and electronics traders along Moi Avenue to directly explain what’s contained on new phone tax structure, with a view to refining fiscal policies and ensures the finance bill supports local businesses, streamlines trade, and creates a predictable economic environment where entrepreneurs can thrive.
“Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the tech and retail space are crucial drivers of job creation and digital inclusion for millions of Kenyans,” CS Mbadi noted after his interaction.
From his engagement with the MSMEs traders, CS Mbadi noted that it was evidently clear that many have been victims of false narratives and misinformation on the Finance Bill 2026.
“For clarity the new proposal collapses the multiple layers of taxation contained in the current phones tax regime into one, subsequently making phones cheaper if adopted.”
Earlier, Mbadi had spent the entire morning hours engaging with Bunge La Wananchi at Jeevanjee Gardens, demistifying the contents of the Bill. “Won’t tire on breaking down facts and demystifying false narratives on Finance Bill 2026 until everyone is on boarded.”
The visit comes just a day after Mbadi accused the United Opposition of lying to Kenyans and quoting non-existent clauses into the Bill, specifically to incite Kenyans.
He insisted that the tax proposals contained in the Bill are meant to ease the taxpayers’ burden, increase the tax base by targetting more people who don’t pay tax yet are in business. Mbadi insists that opposition leaders’ call for the rejection of finance bill is not genuine, and is solely meant to mislead Kenyans.
“Can Kalonzo Musyoka tell the people of Kenya the particular clause in the Bill we submitted to Parliament which is being discussed, where it mentions taxation on land: freehold or leasehold,” Mbadi questioned.
