Despite being a leader in the opposition, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris have always expressed a different stand with the majority in the Azimio camp as far as finance bill is concerned. The City Woman rep has been rigidly in support of the bill.
Demonstrating this in the parliament on Wednesday June 21, she became among the few opposition leaders who voted in favour of the bill, arguing that the bill is advocating for the best interest of the people of Kenya.
Passaris eventually voted YES for the double increment of the VAT on fuel commodities aimed to rise from 8% to 16%. However, her vote sparkled uproar in the parliament from a section of the leaders who felt she was wrong in VAT part.
In response to Passaris’ decision, a section in the parliament created commotion leading to confusion and disturbance to the city woman rep who then, had the opportunity granted to her.
Passaris however, rigidly maintained her decision taking steps ahead to justify her vote. According to her the fuel VAT increment is prioritizing Kenyans interests as it aims to restore Kenya’s dignity, stability, and prosperity.
In as much as the situation in parliament indicated the ideological vast rift among leaders in the Kenya Kwanza government, City Woman rep’s decision seems to defy the opposition’s stance against the bill coming in just a few days after ODM party through SG Edwin Sifuna, threatened to take their MPs who voted in support of the bill, through a hot chamber of ‘punishment’
Therefore, Esther Passaris is arguably now joining a section of Azimio leaders who expects to be passed through a chamber of filtering following their democratic stands over the bill. Is that one of the expected aftermath of this event?