President William Ruto on Wednesday, June 26 declined to sign the Finance Bill 2024 into law.
Speaking at State House Nairobi, President Ruto ordered the bill be withdrawn in the National Assembly.
“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 they don’t want anything to do with this Finance Bill 2024,” said Ruto.
“I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn and I have agreed with these members that this becomes our collective position,” he added.
The Head of State proposed that the country should have a conversation going forward on how to manage the affairs of the country together.
“I will be proposing an engagement with the young people of our nation, our sons and daughters, and listen to their views, proposals, ideas, concerns, and what they think we should do better going forward,” Ruto stated.
He also directed budget cuts for the executive arm of the government including allocations on travel, hospitality, purchase of motor vehicles, renovations, and other expenditures.
“I am directing for immediate further austerity measures to reduce the expenditure starting with the office of the President, the entire presidency and extending to the entire executive arm of government,” Ruto stated.
Further, the President sent condolence messages to all those who lost their lives during the anti-finance bill protests.
“I send condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate manner. Six people to be exact lost their lives yesterday, that should not have happened, There will be a framework to ensure those six are accounted for,” Ruto stated.
This comes after Kenyans protested on Tuesday across major towns and cities in the country. In Nairobi, the demos were violent with several people being shot by live bullets.
Also Read: Uhuru Kenyatta Breaks Silence On The Anti-Finance Bill Protests
