Embattled Kenyan President Ruto 'NOT' Signing the Controversial Finance Bill After Nationwide Protests

In Summary

• Kenyan President William Ruto announced he would not sign the 2024 finance bill, which included a series of tax increases.
• The announcement came after protests against the bill led to clashes with police, resulting in over 20 deaths.
• The bill had won parliamentary approval, but protests escalated, leading to parts of the parliament being set on fire.
• Human rights organizations condemned the violence against protesters and criticized the government's response.
• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua criticized the National Intelligence Service for failing to inform the president about the bill's unpopularity.

DETAILS

NAIROBI, KENYA — In a significant political move, Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Wednesday that he would not sign the controversial 2024 finance bill, which proposed a series of tax increases. This decision followed a day of intense protests that resulted in the deaths of over 20 people and violent clashes with police.

"I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill. It shall subsequently be withdrawn and that shall be our collective position," Ruto stated during an address at the State House in Nairobi. The president's announcement was made in the presence of lawmakers, whom he thanked for their initial support of the bill.

The bill had passed in parliament on Tuesday, but the approval triggered immediate unrest. Lawmakers fled as police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators who stormed the parliamentary complex, setting parts of it on fire.

Late Tuesday evening, President Ruto condemned the storming of parliament, labeling it as treasonous and a severe threat to national security.

On Wednesday, human rights defenders and governance organizations convened at the Kenya Human Rights Commission to denounce the violence against protesters and hold the president accountable for the events of the previous day.

Grace Wangechi, executive director of the Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU), asserted, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with Kenyans getting on the streets to voice themselves. This is a constitutional provision as part of the Kenyan constitution 2010."

Lorna Dias, a human rights defender and executive coordinator of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya, emphasized, "There's nothing that justifies the use of live bullets on protesters. The destruction of property that happened on the streets was a security failure, and this regime should take the blame."

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, speaking from the coastal city of Mombasa, expressed sympathy for President Ruto but criticized the National Intelligence Service (NIS) head, Noordin Haji, for not adequately briefing the president about the bill's unpopularity. "Had the National Intelligence Service briefed the president that this bill was unpopular with the Kenyan people, there would not have been deaths and mayhem," Gachagua stated.

There was no immediate response from the intelligence service regarding these criticisms.

Gachagua also urged protesters to call off further planned protests, suggesting that doing so would allow for "an honest conversation on how to work on our country."

The situation remains tense as the Kenyan government navigates the aftermath of these protests and the broader implications of the finance bill's withdrawal.