Nairobi — Kenya Kwanza Alliance has remained bullish that the contentious Finance Bill 2023 will pass with minimal amendments claiming they have managed to convince their opposition counterparts to support it.

National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro indicated that half of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Members of Parliament have fully backed the proposed Bill despite opposition from their coalition.

Osoro maintained that intense lobbying has been done across the divide to ensure the Finance Bill sails through in the House.

"Half of Azimio MPs have thrown their support behind this Bill but because they want to be politically correct and they are close to Odinga.They want to appear that they are supporting him but deep down they will support it," he said.

The Majority Whip denied claims that President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua have employed blackmail and intimidation to whip lawmakers to pass the Bill.

"It's not blackmail what the Executive is saying that we only do roads through tax collection.What they were saying is if you killed the Finance Bill how then do you ask for road yet we wouldn't have collected sufficient money," said Osoro.

He has termed the move by Busia Senator Okiya Omtata to move to the Supreme Court to impede the implementation of the housing levy as premature given the Finance Bill has not been approved by MPs.

"Once the bill is presented before the committee of the whole house it will be subjected to amendments.Kenyans should not jump the gun,"the Majority Whip stated.

"Influencers have complained and they have raised the issue with the President and he has made suggestions that we have a review on the percentage," he added.