The contents of the Finance Bill 2019 have continued to elicit mixed reactions from different quarters.
A section of lawyers now want the bill scrapped over claims that it is likely to compromise with their field of practice.
Led by former member of the Judicial Service Commission Tom Ojienda, the lawyers said that they will not allow the government to implement the bill.
Ojienda has now written to Speakers; Justin Muturi (National Assembly) and Kenneth Lusaka (Senate) asking them to oversee the withdrawal of the bill with immediate effect.
The Senior Counsel has proposed some amendments on the bill before it is implemented.
According to the Bill, the government will be given the authority to order lawyers to disclose the amount of money they handle on behalf of their clients.
The move to introduce the Bill was reached after it emerged that some Kenyans allegedly keep stolen money in law firms to protect them from being probed.
“It violates Article 27 (1), (2) and (4), 31, 50 (2) (I) and (g) and 50 (4) of the Constitution, [threatens] to obliterate the Advocates Act and Chapter 16 of the Laws of Kenya and poses a real threat to the very existence of the legal profession as we know it,” he said as quoted by Daily Nation.
"“Any disclosure by an advocate in respect of his client must be subject to privilege and the duty of confidentiality as between him and his client, otherwise the disclosure is unconstitutional,” he added.
On his part, Law Society of Kenya President Allen Gichuhi said that they are still consulting members before they submit their thoughts to Parliament over the same.