Junet Mohamed addresses claims govt intends to tax oxygen and trees in Finance Bill 2025
Suna East Member of Parliament (MP) Junet Mohamed has strongly refuted claims that the government is on the verge of approving the Finance Bill 2025, which includes a tax on trees and oxygen.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, Mohamed vehemently dismissed the rumours circulating online, urging the public not to fall for misinformation.
“There has been a debate online suggesting that there is a Finance Bill. However, I must clarify that no such bill exists at the moment. The Finance Bill only comes at the end of the budgetary process, and we are not yet at that stage. The deadline for passing the bill is June 30th, but as of today, there is no finance bill before us for approval, and none has been seen with the Speaker’s consent.”
He went on to dismiss the claims that the government was contemplating imposing taxes on natural resources, explaining that he felt compelled to make this clarification due to concerns that the public might be unduly influenced by the rapidly circulating rumours.
According to him, the claims being spread had no basis in any legislative framework, and the government had not yet initiated any discussions regarding such a bill.
“The rumours about taxation on trees and oxygen are nothing more than lies,” he added. “The public is being misled, and I want to make it clear that such discussions are not based on any legislative reality.”
Mohamed was resolute in his stance, emphasising that they would take every possible step to curb the continued spread of such claims, asserting that it would be Parliament, not the public, that would bear the consequences if these falsehoods were to gain traction.
“These are deliberate falsehoods, and we cannot allow such unfounded claims to go unchallenged,” he declared. “As of today, there is no bill, and we are nowhere near passing any such legislation.”
Emphasising the role of Parliament in the legislative process, Mohamed stated that the House holds the final say on all legislation and that the executive cannot impose taxes without Parliament’s approval.
He added that Parliament would not hesitate to reject any proposals that might be seen as unfair to the Kenyan people, no matter how bizarre.
“It is Parliament’s responsibility to protect the public’s interests. We will scrutinise any proposal brought to us thoroughly, and we will not allow any unreasonable or unjustified tax measures to pass through. Let us be clear: if the executive attempts to bring any proposals, even one to tax mountains, Parliament will stand firm and reject it. We will protect the interests of ordinary Kenyans, who are already facing enough economic pressure.”
Finance bill 2024
Reflecting on the 2024 Finance Bill process, Mohamed recalled how misleading claims had forced the withdrawal of controversial clauses, despite the truth arriving too late to stem the damage.
He added that they had faced significant challenges as MPs, noting that by the time the truth about the contents of the previous Finance Bill had emerged, protests from Gen Z had already erupted, with demonstrators even storming Parliament.
He explained that his remarks were intended to shield Parliament from finding itself in a similar predicament once more, emphasising that, this time around, they would make a concerted effort to engage with citizens first, ensuring that they were well-informed about the contents of the bill before any decisions were made.
“What I saw yesterday, whether factual or not, reminds me of what we went through last time. During the last Finance Bill, we were forced to withdraw all offensive clauses, but the lies had already spread, and by the time the truth reached the public, Parliament was under siege. This is why we must handle this matter carefully,” he said. “We cannot allow the public to be misled again. We need to engage with them directly and provide clear, truthful information to avoid the chaos we witnessed last time.”
Mohamed continued to stress the importance of transparency in the legislative process, underlining that Parliament would ensure that any proposed legislation would be in line with the best interests of the country.
“This time, we will do things properly,” he said. “We will engage with the public, and there will be no new taxes on oxygen or trees. Let’s ensure we get the facts right before anyone starts making wild claims.”
In his final remarks, Mohamed issued a stern warning to those spreading false claims about the Finance Bill.
He shared that he was fully aware of the specific leaders who were spreading false information about the bill, admitting that he knew exactly who they were, though he chose not to name them. However, he issued a stern ultimatum to them, warning that they must cease this deceptive behaviour, as it was causing significant harm to the country and its citizens.
“To those who are spreading lies and causing confusion, let me make it clear: there is no Finance Bill on the table. I know who you are, and I will not allow you to mislead the public any longer.”
