Kenya Kwanza MPs put up brave face, defend passage of contentious Finance Bill amid public outrage

Defiant Members of Parliament (MPs) allied to the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration yesterday put up a brave face without any remorse amid mounting public outrage over the passage of the contentious Finance Bill 2024 that will now head for the Third Reading next week amid mounting public outrage.

The over 15 lawmakers who converged in Makwa village, Gatundu North during the launch of tarmacking of a 14-kilometer Gatukuyu-Makwa-Igamba road that’s being built at a cost of Sh800 million said the Bill is good for the country’s development.

The construction of this road began in March 2021 and is being constructed by the government through the Kenya Rural Roads Authority at a cost of Sh800million.

Once complete, the Mang’u-Bob Harris-Ndarugu road will link up Thika Superhighway with the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway through Juja and Gatundu North constituencies.

And speaking separately yesterday while in Eldama Ravine, Baringo county where he is on a development tour, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government cannot afford to lose a vote on the Finance Bill 2024 that is currently before the National Assembly.

According to Mudavadi, a defeat on the bill can easily be used to delegitimise president William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza administration and would amount to a vote of no confidence.

“Finance Bill is the foundation of this government. Internationally, if the Finance Bill is rejected, the net effect is that the government has been removed from power. Loosely translated in Swahili (Finance Bill ndio msingi wa serikali. Kwa kimataifa, Finance Bill ikiangushwa, the net effect ni kwamba serikali imengolewa maradakani). It is equal to a vote of no confidence in a government. It is not a joke (Si mchezo).” Mudavadi claimed.

In Gatundu North, dozen MPs were hosted by area MP Njoroge Kururia and among thos present were; Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South), Alice Ng’ang’a (Thika), John Njuguna (Kiambaa), Chege Kiragu (Limuru) and Mburu Kahangara (Lari).

Others are John Paul Mwirigi (Igembe North), Githua Wamacukuru (Kabete), George Gachagua (Ndaragwa), George Macharia (Ndia) Duncan Mathenge (Nyeri), Woman Reps Anne Wamuratha (Kiambu), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua) and Jane Kagiri (Laikipia).

The lawmakers claimed that besides the bill being faced by opposition from various sectors, it means well for the country as it seeks to raise funds that are crucial for the country’s socio-economic growth.

However, the endorsement of the Bill that will be subject to further scrutiny in Committee Stage and the Third Reading Stage continue to attract mixed reactions with youths popularly known as Generation Z (Gen Z) vowing to sustain nationwide protests the whole of next week.

On his part, Gatundu south MP GG Kagombe said that the bill has catered for farmers in the country noting that tea, coffee and dairy farmers will be the big winners with allocation of funds for cherry, fertilizer as well as better produce markets.

The MP said that Kenyans must remain patriotic and agree to pay taxes for the sake of the country’s growth and development.

His Thika counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a said that her decision to vote ‘Yes’ to the bill was informed by the need for funds for cash transfer, diapers, sanitary towels, subsidized fertilizer and bursaries.

Ng’ang’a called on president William Ruto not to be cowed by pressure from the opposition and demonstrators and instead remain focused in steering the country towards achieving economic prosperity.

Kabete MP Githua Wamacukuru said that this is imperative for the country’s growth noting that it will provide the much needed funds for development projects including roads, water, electricity, health among others.

The MP told Kenyans to support the state through its plan to grow and develop the country’s economy adding that all contentious elements in the bill have been struck out.

Ndia MP George Macharia who’s also the Chairman of the Parliamentary Roads and Infrastructure Committee, revealed that my Kenya region is set to benefit with roads projects worth Sh6 billion adding that the Mau Mau road project that has stalled for years will be revived.

Igembe North MP John Mwirigi noted that he voted for the bill due to provision of sufficient funds to the Universal Health Coverage that will ease access of medical services to cancer patients. He quipped that his constituency is among the regions with the highest number of cancer patients.

Meanwhile, the lawmakers chided Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for his persistent calls to unite the Mt Kenya region saying that he is spreading divisive politics. They said that the country is united and solidly behind the current regime for the sake of national unity and development.

MP Njoroge Kururia said that tarmacking of the crucial road is set to turnaround fortunes for Gatundu North residents who are mainly farmers and help boost the region’s economy.