Members of parliament (MPs) on Tuesday June 25, 2024, afternoon passed the controversial Finance Bill 2024 and presented it to President William Ruto for signing it into law.
This was after 195 MPs voted in favour for the Bill as 106 opposed it while three votes were spoilt.
The Bill was passed in a record of two hours, after debating at the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Bill was passed amid ‘Reject Finance Bill’ protests in Nairobi and other towns all over the country.
Using the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill and #OccupyParliament, the protesters mobilized themselves on social media for the protests to put pressure on MPs to oppose the Bill.
This was after the MPs passed the Bill during the second reading on June 20, 2024 amid countrywide protests against taxation measures in the proposed law.
During the second reading of the Bill, 204 MPs voted Yes while 115 rejected it.
The continued protests against the Bill led to abductions of activists as the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Law Society of Kenya condemned abductions linked to police officers.
“We’ve confirmed several people who were abducted on different days have been released including Ernest Nyerere, Nadia Nthia and Shadrack Kiprono,” said LSK president Faith Odhiambo.
