Nyeri clerics have asked President William Ruto not to sign into law the contentious Finance Bill 2024 which was passed Tuesday by MPs despite nationwide protests, terming it punitive.
The religious leaders, meeting under the umbrella of Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches, appealed to the government to heed the cries of protesters opposed to the Bill and engage in dialogue to find a solution.
They said there was still room to come up with better legislation that has the blessing of Kenyans through rigorous public participation.
The Finance Bill 2024 was Tuesday approved by MPs after 195 lawmakers voted against 106 members who opposed it.
“What we are asking the government is to listen to the public. Let the Bill be recalled and then let us have the demands of this country factored in. As a church, we are telling the President that we feel we should shelve the Finance Bill 2024 until it is agreed upon,” Bishop Erastus Njoroge said.
Njoroge is the chairman of the KNCPC. He read their statement while flanked by other clerics.
“When you hear young people speak it is because we have problems, acute problems. They don’t have jobs, don’t know where to get money. What you are hearing is because they are desperate. Please listen to the people. Let the authorities hear what they are saying,” the bishops said.
The statement was endorsed by 18 bishops.
Last week, youths opposed to the Bill in Nyeri issued a notice to police of their intention to conduct a peaceful demonstration.
In a letter copied to Nyeri OCPD Charles Chacha, the organisers want security agents to provide them with security and ensure there is adherence to the rule of law.
According to the one-page letter signed by one Joan Wambui Alias Zuena on behalf of Concerned Nyeri Residents, the protesters have also given their contacts in case the planned protests turn violent.
“As concerned youths and residents of Nyeri county, we would like to notify you that at 10am Thursday, June 2024, we have invited all residents of Nyeri to proceed on a peaceful march from Whispers Park, within Nyeri town and back as provided under Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya,” the letter says.
“Our primary objective of the march is to join the nation in one voice of solidarity to demand that our elected Members of Parliament from Nyeri county to show up in Parliament and vote NO to the proposed Finance Bill 2024. We intend to conduct the march in a peaceful and orderly manner, adhering to all legal requirements and respecting public peace, order and property,” added the letter which was copied to the Nyeri County Police Commander.
The protests began last week in Nairobi and spread to other counties including Mombasa, Kisii, Kisumu, Eldoret, Meru, Kajiado and Nakuru with more counties joining this week.
The demos have been growing in intensity despite government’s decision last week that saw the deletion of some of the controversial clauses like the 16 per cent VAT on bread and 25 per cent tax on crude oil.
KNCPC is now warning the state to handle the mostly youthful protesters with care to avoid plunging the country into anarchy.
“Gen-Z are very unpredictable unlike civil society or political fraternity. Gen-Z current mass action has gotten many by surprise, and we should not ignore them. We acknowledge that they have a reason to be bitter with things that are absolutely difficult; joblessness, crime, moral decadence, to name it. All this has been occasioned by mega corruption in many government ministries,” Njoroge added.