• He noted that even though there is divided opinion on the Bill, the important thing is that parliament did its job.
• He said that the National Assembly spoke clearly in doing their job.
Image: HANDOUT
Defence CS Aden Duale has commended Members of Parliament who voted to pass the contentious Finance Bill, 2024.
In a statement on Thursday, Duale said these leaders chose courage and voted for the best interests of the country.
He went on to say that he now looks forward to the next stage of Bill.
"As a former legislator, I wish to congratulate the Members of the National Assembly from the entire political divide for guiding the country accordingly and we now look forward to the next stage being the Committee of the Whole House where amendments to the Bill will be considered.
"This is indeed great progress and I commend all Members who voted yes, stood tall, chose courage and voted for the best interests of this country," Duale said.
He noted that even though there is divided opinion on the Bill, the important thing is that parliament did its job.
He said that the National Assembly spoke clearly in doing their job.
Duale added that the process is now on its finalisation stretch and he looks forward to the final product.
"Whereas there may be divided opinion on the Bill which is normal and expected in every mature democracy, what is great is that the constitutionally mandated body being the National Assembly as the representative of the 290 constituencies and 47 counties has discharged its mandate this afternoon and spoken loud and clear."
Some 204 government-allied MPs voted to pass the bill to the second reading where they will now discuss proposed amendments.
115 voted to reject the Bill and vowed to continue with the fight outside the house.
They voted in favour of the Bill, despite protests from Kenyans across various parts of the country.
From major cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa to regional hubs of Kisumu and Eldoret, protestors transformed the streets into vibrant displays of dissent.
On Tuesday, the government responded by withdrawing some of the most regressive tax proposals, acknowledging the public's concerns about fairness.
However, anxieties persisted that alternative funding plans could still disproportionately burden vulnerable communities.