Reject Finance Bill or face recall, Isiolo MPs told ahead of final vote

Youths in Isiolo County, who are part of the team spearheading the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests, have implored local MPs to redeem themselves during Tuesday's final vote on the proposed legislation.

During last week's second reading of the bill, Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya voted 'yes', Isiolo North MP Joseph Samal skipped, while Isiolo South MP Mohammed Tubi gave an apology, citing health concerns.

The youths castigated the MPs for failing to protect the electorate's interests in Parliament and snubbing voting on crucial bills such as this one, which they said would be detrimental to an already struggling economy.

Led by Farah Hassan, they threatened to initiate the collection of signatures should the lawmakers vote in favour of the bill, abstain or skip the session.

"Redeem yourself by rejecting the bill tomorrow. If you vote yes, we will know you are protecting the interests of President William Ruto, not mwananchi (the citizen)," he told MP Mumina.

The youth said it was sad that the government was overtaxing Kenyans to raise more funds instead of recovering billions lost to corruption every day.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta revealed that more than Sh2 billion is lost daily.

"There is no way you can keep telling us the country has no money while politicians dish out millions at fundraisers at the expense of suffering Kenyans and unemployed youth," Farah said.

Another youth, Madina Gollo, said the public had lost trust in the government due to misplaced priorities, citing a reduction in the amount of money set aside for the school feeding programme and the scrapping of the EduAfya medical scheme for students in public and private schools.

Kenyatta initiated the programme in 2018 to offer comprehensive healthcare to learners through a wide range of services, such as outpatient, inpatient, emergency and ambulance services.

"Schools continue to grapple with the delayed release of capitation funds, which are hurting their operations, exposing learners to unnecessary suffering," Madina said.

She added that the taxation of imported sanitary towels would see their prices soar, making it hard for girls from poor families to access the crucial items.

"Many of the girls here (in Isiolo) cannot afford the towels and have been surviving on provisions from local community-based organisations and NGOs," she noted.

Isiolo University Students Association Chairperson Hamda Wako called on President Ruto to cut his expenditure, lamenting that billions of shillings spent on domestic and foreign travel in the recent past had not helped to lower the cost of living.

"He should stop the unnecessary flights and divert that money to a sector that has a direct impact on mwananchi. He should lead from the front on austerity measures," he said.

Abdi Jama downplayed Ruto's overtures to Gen Z to solve the stalemate, claiming he was being insincere.

"Why is he reaching out to us when his officers continue harassing peaceful protestors?" He said that if the President wants to meet them, he should go to where they are (streets), not ask a few people to visit him at the State House.

Calling some of them to the State House, he said, was a scheme to divide them.

They announced that Isiolo will join youth across the country in peaceful protests to send a message to President Ruto and MPs who voted in favour of the bill last week.