THE FINANCE BILL ENTERS COMMITTEE STAGE

The national assembly has voted to approve President William Ruto’s finance bill,2024 in the second reading, with countrywide protests against taxation in the proposed law.

The bill sailed through on Thursday evening in a roll-call vote that was undertaken after some members disputed the outcome of the vote that had been done by accumulation. Mr. Wetangula, the National Speaker granted the request instead of the division, he allowed members to vote by roll-call.

According to the results announced by the speaker after the roll call, the parliament voted 204 against 115 to send the Bill to the Committee stage.

The second reading is the stage of the legislative process where a bill is read for a second time, a vote is then taken on the general outlines of the proposed bill before it moves to the committee stage.

Committee Stage, is the stage in which a detailed examination of a bill, clause per clause, takes place.

After the passing of the bill in the second reading Kenyans and Azimio leaders have branded the MPs who voted yes as traitors. The opposition says that voters should begin to recall those who voted for the bill.

The constitution gives voters the power to begin a process of recalling their MPs for poor performance after two years in office. Azimio said that the MPs who voted for the Bill betrayed the interests of Kenyans.

“Inexplicably, the 204 MPs stood against the Nation. They are the traitors and example of the biggest betrayal to Kenyans.” Azimio said.

The opposition claimed that the pro-tax MPs were their generation’s personification of the home guards who helped the foreign colonials between 1895 and 1963.

“Just like those sullied home guards, the 204 have turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the socio-political and economic injustices perpetuated on Kenyans,’” Azimio said.

The MPs urged the young generation, Gen Z who protested on Wednesday and Thursday to invoke the provision of the constitution and recall the MPs who backed Taxes.

“As a coalition, we urge all Kenyans whose Members of Parliament voted for the Finance Bill to begin the process of their Recall. They are Dishonourable Members,” Azimio said.

“We further ask Gen Zs to develop innovative and creative ways of expediently and accurately effecting this.” Azimio said that when push comes to shove,The ‘traitors’ must be ready to be voted out in 2027 when Kenyans will go to the ballot in a general election.

“We are also reminding them that very soon,the people of Kenya will be choosing the ballot. The 204, members and the 30 absentee cowards should prepare to go home because they will never be the electorate’s choice,” Azimio said.

”As members of the Legislature have stood on notice, so too should the Executive. The Gen Z  are coming for you!” Azimio claimed that the government had budgeted for corruption to the tune of Ksh1 Trillion through the contentious Finance Bill,2024.“In under two years, Kenya’s coffers have been drained by shameless corruption. The Finance Bill, 2024, has budgeted corruption of Ksh1 Trillion,’” Azimio said.

Azimio said that through Gen Z, Kenya is witnessing an organic and tribeless collective gathering of the youth tired of the Kenya Kwanza government.

“This is a significant turning point in the history of our nation, comparable to Saba Saba Day,’” Azimio said.

The opposition said that Gen Z is not clout chasers concerned with growing their TikTok numbers as alleged by some government officials and politicians.

“Their images have not been photoshopped or generated by AI. The Gen Z on the streets are our authentic constituents,” Azimio said.

“Members, the matter of the Finance Bill is now over, we wait for the committee of the whole, those who have amendments to file, clerk and his team will process those amendments,” National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangu’la said.

In Nairobi, anti-riot police had at some point leashed water cannons on defiant protesters whose focus was on breaching barriers they had erected to cordon off all access roads to parliament.