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Citizen Posts
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Following yesterday’s ugly scenes at Kenya’s parliament where angry protesters overpowered police and gained entry to parliamentary buildings forcing police to fire live bullets killing several on spot and injuring many.
The protests which took place countrywide were championed by youths famously known as GenZ who were expressing their discomfort with the contentious Finance bill 2024 which was passed yesterday by members of parliament and sent to president to assent his signature.
According to reports, 23 people were killed in Nairobi alone including a Doctor who was shot dead while giving first aid to an injured protester. Another over 30 people were killed in a place in Githurai later in the evening following the deployment of the Kenya Defense Forces on the streets of Nairobi.
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Another yet to known number of people were killed in other parts of the country. The manhandling of the protesters has since sparked condemnation from with in Kenya and beyond with several embassies calling for dialogue including the UN Secretary General Antonio Guiteres who has also condemned the killing of the protesters.
Commenting about the scenes at parliament, former President Mwigai Uhuru Kenyatta said leaders are supposed to listen to their voters not to listen to themselves While former Presidential Candidate and Azimio La umoja Principal Raila Amollo Odinga advise Ruto to drop the finance bill and look for alternative financing than constraining the already constrained Kenyans.
Following several statements calling for a conversation on the finance bill and putting in consideration the ugly scenes that will remain in the history of Kenya, President William Samoei Ruto has taken the difficult decision and dropped the contentious Finance Bill and asked the MPs to withdraw the said bill and opt for alternative financing of Kenya’s KES3.92trillion budget of 2024/25.
The finance bill according to proposals and last minute amendments made to it was set to raise Kenya Shillings 200billion from the new proposed taxes on Diapers, Pads, Motor Vehicle tax, Money Transactions and VAT on bread among other proposals.
“On behalf of these members and on behalf of all Kenyans, i send my condolences to families of those who lost their loved ones in this very unfortunate manner. Consequently, having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the finance bill 2024 and listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this bill Finance bill 2024, i concede and therefore i will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn and i have agreed with these members that that becomes our collective position”- said Ruto
Press Briefing, State House, Nairobi. https://t.co/BYWljpfcGT
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) June 26, 2024
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