A Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting at State House on Tuesday was stormy, a source revealed.
The meeting was called by President Uhuru Kenyatta to whip his MPs support recommendations on the Finance Bill that is up for a vote on Thursday.
MPs have been vocal that they will oppose recommendations to subject Kenyans to an 8% VAT on petroleum products which will make the cost of living to skyrocket.
During the meeting, MPs are said to have stood their ground that it will be unfair to subject Kenyans to the tax.
Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto are said to have lectured the legislators that that is the party position and must adhere to party decisions.
At one point, there was a heated exchange between Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut and DP Ruto.
The DP insisted that the MP must follow the line of the party, he, however, shot back furiously.
“I am an MP and you are the DP. Everybody to do their work,” he said.
A statement by the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit (PSCU) said the State House meeting was ‘heated’.
"A Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting today agreed to support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposal to reduce VAT on petroleum products to 8 per cent. In a heated debate, the PG meeting also unanimously agreed that there should be budgetary cuts to accommodate the reduction in VAT,” a statement said.