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MP Gitonga Mukunji was among 105 MPs who voted against the impugned law.
- During a past event, Mukunji defended his decisiom to reject the Bill saying it was in the best interest of the nation.
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, a close ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has changed tune over his stance on the impugned Finance Bill, 2024. https://shorturl.at/FfNDD
Image: FILE
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, a close ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has changed tune over his stance on the impugned Finance Bill, 2024.
Mukunji voted ‘No’ and went public to defend his decision rendered on June 25 at the height of Gen Z protests.
But speaking in Embu where he had accompanied President William Ruto, Mukunji apologised to the President for the decision.
The lawmaker regretted his actions as he sought for forgiveness.
“I want to apologise because your Excellency, I'm one of your mentees. You have put me on the leadership path and your Excellency you never told me when you make a mistake you are kept out of the eldership,” he said.
Mukunji used the opportunity to pledge his support for the President.
Ruto was in Embu county on a development tour.
During a past event, Mukunji defended his decisiom to reject the Bill saying it was in the best interest of the nation.
On Tuesday, June 25, some 195 MPs defied public outrage and voted to pass the Finance Bill, 2024, outnumbering the 'No' camp which only managed to marshal 105 votes.
The decision enraged an already angry crowd of protesters that were still marching on the streets to denounce the Bill and its proposed tax measures.
The protesters breached security and stormed Parliament, vandalised furniture and set a section of the House on fire. Some protesters were shot dead.
The following day, Ruto declined to assent to the Bill and sent it back to Parliament with instructions that MPs delete all clauses. It was done.
Mukunji said that being a member of the ruling UDA party, he has an obligation of telling the President and his deputy the truth that the public was not in support of the Bill.
Following Ruto's move by the President to reject the Bill, several other MPs have since come out to apologise to their constituents for supporting it.
They included David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East) John Kiarie (Dagoreti South) and Joseph Namuar (Turkana Central).
Nyali’s Mohamed Ali and Alfred Mutai (Kuresoi North) among others have, however, defended their move to vote ‘Yes’.
“I cannot apologise but only pray for you to open your eyes and see the way so that you can realise that we were fighting for more money in order to push for development in our regions as well as admit more students on our fee payment programs,” Ali said.
During a media roundtable on June 30, Ruto termed the legislators who withstood public pressure and voted ‘Yes’ as the 'true heroes of Kenya'.
"MPs are the representatives of the people, they are not fools and are not mad, and I'm going to say, that one day Kenya will know that the MPs who voted yes are the true heroes of Kenya," he said.