Ruto Withdraws Controversial Finance Bill After Deadly Protests

By Adedapo Adesanya and Aduragbemi Omiyale

The President of Kenya, Mr William Ruto, has withdrawn the controversial finance bill containing tax hikes after a protest erupted in the capital of the country, Nairobi, and left many dead.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Ruto caved into pressure but warned that withdrawing the finance bill would mean a cut in funding for development programmes designed to help farmers and schoolteachers, among others.

He also said this would make it harder for the East African nation to lower its foreign debt burden.

The increases were needed to service the country’s massive debt of some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), equal to roughly 70 per cent of Kenya’s GDP, according to the government.

On Tuesday, the protesters stormed the parliament, burning it, causing several lawmakers who passed the bill to flee for fear of being attacked by the angry demonstrators.

President Ruto later spoke on the matter, describing the actions of the protesters as an attack on the country’s democracy and its sovereignty.

But in a twist on Wednesday, Mr Ruto announced the withdrawal of the controversial bill, which was awaiting his assent after it was passed by the parliament despite opposition to it.

At a press conference in Nairobi today, the President, who stated that his action was because “the people have spoken,” announced that, “I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn.”

He effectively vetoed the bill passed on Tuesday and asked the lawmakers to deliberate and decide whether to amend the bill to address his concerns, abandon it, or attempt to pass it again.

The organised protest started peacefully last week but turned violent on Tuesday when lawmakers passed the legislation and police fired live rounds into crowds. Some parts of the legislative building were set ablaze amid the riot.

A total of 195 members of parliament majorly from the ruling party voted in favour of the bill, and 104 MPs mostly from the opposition voted against it.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said it had recorded 22 deaths and 300 injured victims, adding that they would launch an investigation.

It is not clear if Kenyans will return to the streets to protest after it promised to regroup on Thursday after yesterday’s turmoil following the latest development.

While he was in the opposition, Mr Ruto kicked against raising of taxes by the government, then led by Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.