Parliament votes to completely overhaul Finance Bill 2024

In response to President William Ruto's call for a complete overhaul of the Finance Bill 2024, parliamentarians voted on Thursday to delete all clauses of the controversial bill, effectively nullifying it.

The bill had sparked deadly protests, resulting in the deaths of up to 54 Kenyans and widespread property damage.

The lawmakers' action followed the National Assembly's Committee of the Whole House vote, which aligned with Ruto's reservations and recommendations.

As a result, none of the bill's provisions will have legal effect, paving the way for a fresh start in the legislative process.

"The House has voted in agreement with the President's reservations and recommendations to delete all clauses of the Finance Bill 2024. Following this decision, the bill has been rejected in its entirety.

"I wish to clarify that the import of the decision of the House is that the bill is lost... In this regard strictly speaking there is no bill for the Speaker to present to the President for assent as contemplated under Article 115(5) of the Constitution. To signify the decision that the House has taken on the Bill I shall only convey the effect of the decision which is that the Finance Bill 2024 has been rejected. The House is accordingly guided," the Speaker communicated to the House.

During the session, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa warned that the collapse of the Finance Bill 2024 is set to come with dire consequences to the economy because all the advantages it had have also been quashed.

"...If we were under ordinary circumstances there are probably certain things like the tax amnesty that was being granted to Kenyans that any member of this House would have sought to save from this bill...Then the Hon. The Speaker would have had something to present to the President negating his reservation," said Ichung'wa.

He added, "With the death of this Finance Bill 2024, Kenyans who were going to enjoy tax amnesty for the next year will not enjoy that amnesty. Also, Kenyans who were also going to be exempted from eTIMS have lost that opportunity."

Rejecting Ruto's request to have the bill collapsed by the House would have required the support of at least 233 Members.

President William Ruto, acceding to pressure from Kenyans after several protests declined to sign the Finance Bill, 2024 to law.

The move by the House emanated from deadly protests that saw demonstrators breach Parliament premises for the first time in Kenya's history.

"Having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the Finance Bill of 2024, I will decline to assent to the bill," President Ruto said at State House following the storming of Parliament.

Ruto stated that following the measure's adoption, the country saw widespread dissatisfaction with the bill as it stood, leading to the loss of life, destruction of property, and desecration of constitutional institutions.

"I send condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate manner," he said.