Ruto 'concedes', withdraws Finance Bill after violent protests

President William has withdrawn the Finance Bill, 2024, in its entirety following violent protests led by young people who complained that they were being overburdened with taxes.

Ruto made the announcement in a press conference at the State House in Nairobi on Wednesday, saying he had conceded after considering the people's views and the protests that had entered their second week.

He noted that his Kenya Kwanza administration heard the people's cries for a lower cost of living and for the total scrapping fo the bill.

"After listening Kenyans ... to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill, 2024, I concede and therefore, I will not sign the bill and it can subsequently be withdrawn."

Ruto also condoled with the families of people killed during the demonstrations on Tuesday, when crowds marched to Parliament, broke, set fires, stole property, and declared that they would not stop the push for reforms despite a brutal response by police officers, who shot at them.

In his address on Wednesday, Ruto took a tone different from one on Tuesday, in which he referred to the protesters as treasonous criminals whom the law would deal with appropriately.

Earlier in the day, the National Assembly approved the deployment of the military to help the National Police Service to tame the protests.

Ruto also directed further austerity measures to reduce expenditure, starting with the Office of the President and the Executive.

He cited items including the reduction of travel and hospitality costs, the purchase of motor vehicles, and renovations, and proposed that Parliament, the Judiciary, and county governments, in coordination with the Treasury, implement budget cuts to ensure they all live within their means.

President William Ruto directs further austerity measures to reduce expenditures, starting with the Office of the President, the Executive, reducing travel, hospitality, the purchase of motor vehicles, renovations, and other expenditures.

Proposes Parliament, Judiciary, and… pic.twitter.com/nxillzOatu

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) June 26, 2024

Ruto further reiterated his call for a conversation about Kenya's financial and economic matters, and other key issues, saying this would boost efforts to better manage the country's affairs.

“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,” he stated.

The president started his speech by explaining  Kenya's goal to significantly ease the debt burden that has hung around its neck for decades, and eventually become independent, saying it was on course.

He highlighted efforts including the setting aside of Sh61 of every Sh100 the government collects in taxes for use in paying off debt.

“We have paid Kenya’s Eurobond debt of $2 billion that was borrowed in 2014. We paid the last instalment of $500 million last week,” he said, adding that sustained efforts have made debt obligations significantly lower and more manageable.

“We are on course to redeem the country from the discomfort of debt and assert our sovereignty,” he said.

Ruto's announcement is a major victor for the protesters, most of them Gen Z, who said they had nothing to lose and that they needed to take up their places in the fight to liberate Kenya.

At least 53 deaths occurred during the protests on Tuesday, the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) reported earlier on Wednesday, saying 3 were recorded between 7 am and 6 pm across the county and 30 at night in the Githurai area.

According to the data by PRWG, 53 other persons were arrested and over 17 were abducted in Nairobi alone.

President William Ruto speaks on extrajudicial killings and kidnappings after conceding to pressure from young protesters. He also withdrew the Finance Bill 2024.

"I did promise the country that there would be no extrajudicial killings going forward, and ever since I came into… pic.twitter.com/S81HeI1ewP

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) June 26, 2024

Commenting on reports of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings, Ruto said, "I did promise the country that there would be no extrajudicial killings going forward, and ever since I came into office, there's not been one incident of the same. Those who were kidnapped have since been found in police custody, and those who were already processed were released."

He added, "Six people lost their lives yesterday, and it is very unfortunate. There is a framework that will make sure that those six Kenyans will be accounted for."