NAIROBI, Kenya May 30 – The National Assembly Finance Committee has flagged misinformation as a major challenge in the ongoing review of the Finance Bill 2026, warning that false claims are shaping public debate on critical tax measures.
Chairperson Kuria Kimani said some stakeholders have relied on unofficial documents, leading to confusion over key provisions such as rental income tax and Mitumba taxation.
“We had the evangelicals come and make presentations on matters that are not in the official bill. We continue to see debates that are not based on what is actually in the Finance Bill,” he said, urging the public to verify information using the official “green copy” from the Government Printer.
The National Assembly of Kenya was last week forced to take up advertising space on newspaper pages to debunk misleading reports circulating online claiming that the Finance Bill 2026 contains provisions requiring Kenyans to pay annual land rent on freehold land.
In a clarification issued on May 24, through through Committees of the National Assembly of Kenya, the Parliament said the claims being shared on social media were inaccurate and intended to mislead members of the public.
According to the statement, the Finance Bill 2026 contains no clauses related to land ownership, land rent, or conversion of freehold land into leasehold tenure.
Parliament further clarified that the Bill contains no provisions to introduce annual land rent payments for owners of freehold land.
Parliament urged Kenyans to disregard the viral claims and rely on official communication channels for accurate information regarding the Finance Bill 2026 and other legislative matters.
“The National Assembly urges the public to disregard the false information circulating online which is intended to mislead Kenyans,” the statement concluded.
The clarification comes amid heightened public interest and debate surrounding the Finance Bill 2026, with Kenyans closely scrutinising proposed fiscal measures and taxation policies ahead of parliamentary consideration.
