Members of Parliament have vowed to return the same bill that the President rejected on Thursday on the 16 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel.

Speaking on NTV, Dagoreti North MP Simba Arati said that Kenyans cannot be exposed to harsh living standards by the current levy on petroleum products.

"We want to promise the President that we will, on Tuesday, send the same bill back to him,"  said Arati.

Criticism

Arati said this hours after Kenyatta referred the controversial bill back to the MPs who had passed it seeking the postponement of the imposition of 16 percent VAT on fuel for another two years.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula condemned the President for overlooking common Kenyan and urged the National Assembly to refute the President's order.

"A responsible Parliament must reject the President's memorandum and re-enact the rejected bill. Save the country the economic pain and stress" reads his tweet.

Finance Bill rejection

An address by the president to the nation on Thursday had been anticipated to precede the announcement of his reservations against the bill.

This means Kenyans will continue digging deeper into their pockets as the cost of living continues to rise, dampening growth prospects for the country.

President Kenyatta is set to make an important announcement on Friday on the 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on all petroleum products.

"Following consultation with the leadership of the National Assembly on the 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on all petroleum products, President Uhuru Kenyatta will tomorrow Friday, 14th September 2018, address the Nation," a statement from the State House Spokesperson, Kanze Dena read.