'Who can bwogo me' rent the air as anti-tax protests hot up

Youthful protesters have continued to pour into Nairobi’s Central Business District as the anti-Finance Bill protest gains momentum.

The number of demonstrators is surging by the minute as more troop in from all sides of city inlets while blowing vuvuzelas and whistles.

Many main roads leading to the CBD have been closed including the Expressway as the protesters continue walking into the city.

Those already within the CBD are engaging the police in running battles as they try to force their way to Parliament buildings where MPs and voting on the Bill.

A police lorry that had barricaded the road to Parliament was set ablaze.

Scenes on some streets are reminiscent of the 2002 electioneering period where chants of then Opposition campaign song ‘I’m Unbwogable’ became the anthem.

Sounds of “Who can bwogo me, who can bwogo me, who can bwogo me, I’m unbwogable” rent the air as the crowd surged.

Some were atop an advertisement truck while others on a water bowser, limbs hanging precariously on the the side of the vehicles' bodies.

The protesters are opposed to the passage of the Finance Bill, 2024 and want it rejected.

As all this was happening, in side Parliament, MPs took the vote after the third reading of the Bill with 195 voting to adopt it with amendments while 106 MPs opposed the piece of legislation.

It now awaits assent by President William Ruto to become an Act.

The Bill proposes a raft of new tax measures as the government seeks to expand its revenue base and collect Sh2.9 trillion locally to service its Sh3.92 trillion 2024-25 Budget.

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee Kimani Kuria told the House during the tabling of the Bill last week that new tax measures proposed in the Finance Bill will help bolster the revenue collection by collecting Sh346 billion.

The protesters are however opposed to the new tax proposals despite the House having adopted amendments and dropped a number of contentious clauses.

They include the 2.5 per cent motor vehicle circulation levy, Eco levy on locally manufactured items such as diapers and pads, increase of Excise duty on money transfer charges from 15 per cent to 20 per cent and VAT on bread and transportation of sugar.

Organisers of the protests announced last week that upon passage of the Bill, come Thursday when Ruto will be assenting to the new piece of legislation, they will organise another march to State House to continue showing dissent to the tax proposals which they have termed as punitive.