By Eddah Waithaka
The National Council of Churches urging the Kenyan government to heed the cries and pleas of Kenyans and withdraw the Finance Bill 2024.
“Do not sign it into law. Instead, send it back to Parliament to be redrafted to reflect the wishes of the Kenyan people. This redrafting should be accompanied by a consistent review of the 2024/25 National Budget Estimates to bring them in line with the fiscal reality of the country.”
Over the past two months, Kenyans across the country have been actively and vehemently debating the about the Finance Bill 2024.
In a press statement released by the NCCK, the overwhelming recommendation they received in every county was that MPs should reject the 2024 Finance Bill so that it can be revised to address people’s tax concerns.
“The peaceful picketing by Kenyans, especially the youth, that has been witnessed over the last two weeks is a component of this robust engagement.
We are therefore greatly saddened and shocked by the deaths and violence witnessed yesterday. It in this regard that we make the following recommendations,” said the press release.
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“We should have a Finance Act and National Budget that are based on the
principle of living within our means.
We find it heartless, insensitive and disdainful for the Members of Parliament to ignore the will of the people by passing the Finance Bill 2024. By this action, Parliament erased its legitimacy in the eyes of the voters,” added the press release.
The Council therefore encourages the Government to listen to the people and to shape the Finance Bill to reflect the will of the people to the will of the people, so that it inspires hope, boosts productivity and creates livelihoods.
Also the Council urged His Excellency to ensure that the killing of dozens of Kenyans peacefully demonstrating by the police does not happen again, as it is totally unacceptable.
By recognizing the constitutional right of Kenyans to demonstrate peacefully and to present memoranda to public officials, the Council urges the President to:
a) Instruct the police to cease killing and physically harming demonstrators.
b) Instruct the police to cease the emerging trend of abductions, clandestine arrests
and forced disappearances of Kenyans who voice their opinions on national
matters.
c) Instruct the security agencies to immediately release all the persons who have been abducted or otherwise arrested.
d) Rescind the Kenya Gazette as well as resolution of National Assembly deploying
the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in the country. The country is not in an
insurrection or civil war, and deployment of the military only goes to militarize
civilian affairs.
