Kipipiri legislator and National Assembly Majority leader Amos Kimunya on Thursday, June 9 pulled the plug on Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill in the final 12th Parliament proceedings after a heated debate ensued on the future of the current Commissioners.

The Bill had sought to have the tax agency renamed from the Kenya Revenue Authority to the Kenya Revenue Service.

“The principal object of the bill is to amend the Kenya Revenue Authority Act,  1995 by changing the name ‘Kenya Revenue Authority’ to ‘Kenya Revenue Service’,” Kimunya stated.

The amendment was intended to give the authority a newer image in the eyes of the public, through fostering trust and encouraging tax compliance through improved public relations as the term 'authority' did not evoke a positive perception of the agency and sounded 'commanding".

This was protested by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale who stated that the name change would make the institution a different entity endangering the jobs of the current of the current Commissioners and Board members.

He moved an amendment to cushion the officials from the imminent job loss should the name change sail through, by ensuring that they would remain in office for unexpired period of their terms and then the new members shall be recruited in their place.

“We must insulate the current Commissioner General and Board in a transition way that change of name does not affect their current status so they will be in the office until the expiry of time,” Duale said.

“If this House approves the change of name from Kenya Revenue Authority to Kenya Revenue Service then that is a different body.”

Kimunya maintained that name change would not affect their job security as they were already protected in the Bill, which was still protested by Duale.

“While I agree with the need for protection, I had already provided for that. Every job is already saved,” Kimunya told Duale.

As the back and forth continued, Kimunya resorted to telling Speaker Justin Muturi that he wanted to have the Bill withdrawn in line with Standing Order 140 in order to quell the debate in the House.

“Because this is such a fundamental alteration of the original bill, I want to save this house time to debate the Bill by withdrawing the Bill,” Kimunya resolved.

This was the last sitting ahead of the August 9 elections, aimed at giving lawmakers a chance to debate on pending bills as they bid each other farewell ahead of the campaigning season.

However, the MPs may be recalled for a special sitting if some matters demand further debate but if not, they will be moved to the 13th Parliament.