President William Ruto has assented to the Finance Bill 2026, officially turning it into law and paving the way for the implementation of the government's financial plan for the 2026/27 financial year.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The President signed the Bill into law on Tuesday, June 23, during a ceremony held at State House, Nairobi, bringing to an end the legislative process that began with its tabling in Parliament earlier this year.

The Bill was passed by the National Assembly on June 18 during its Third Reading, after lawmakers voted to approve the proposed measures.

However, only 162 out of 349 MPs participated in the final vote, with 186 lawmakers absent from the crucial session entirely.

📌 What You Need to Know

Of the 122 "Yes" votes, 103 were electronic and 19 manual, while the 40 "No" votes comprised 36 electronic and four manual ballots.

This low turnout, one of the lowest since the controversial Finance Bill 2024 attracted backlash from members of the public, saw key champions of fiscal justice like Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro missing.

The government has been stressing that no new taxes have been introduced in the Finance Bill 2026, blasting opposition members for spreading propaganda about the bill.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke