Members of Parliament were not bribed to support the 2024 Finance Bill as alleged, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has clarified.
Speaking at Kaharati primary school in Maragua constituency, Murang’a County during the Maragua endowment fund harambee on Saturday June 29, 2024, Gachagua said that no money exchanged hands.
Gachagua defended the legislators who voted for the Finance Bill 2024, emphasizing that as the deputy party leader of United Democratic Alliance (UDA), they didn’t give money as there was no such thing.
He asked people to stop maligning the names of MPs who voted ‘Yes’ since there was no money dished to influence the voting.
Rigathi at the same time asked Kenyans to stop insulting and threatening the elected leaders who voted for the bill, and allow the MPs to exercise their constitutional roles.
This was after Juja MP George Koimburi last Sunday claimed that legislators were offered Ksh2 million in exchange for voting yes on the Finance Bill.
In addition, Juja MP George Koimburi, one of 114 members of parliament who voted against the Bill, claimed that MPs were offered money to pass the legislation, which has sparked widespread condemnation amidst a rising cost of living.
Speaking at the AIPCA Ndururumo Church in Juja constituency, Koimburi stated that he refused the bribe and voted against the bill, expressing his firm opposition to the proposed legislation.
Leaders who had accompanied the Deputy President including the host MP Mary Wamaua, Naivasha MP Jane Kihara and Kiambu Senator Karungu Thang’wa said it was just propaganda as no money exchanged hands.
The bill received strong opposition from various quarters since it had proposed a number of tax increases and economic measures that critics claim would burden ordinary citizens.
However President William Ruto withdrew the Finance Bill after deadly protests which saw protesters storm parliament on Tuesday June 24, when several people were shot dead.
In an address to the nation, the President said it was clear that Kenyans “want nothing” to do with the Bill, saying that he had conceded and he would not sign the Bill into law.
