Lang'ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor, has finally revealed his position on the 2024 finance bill after his constituents called for its rejection.
During the parliamentary reading of the contentious bill, the MP stated that he opposed it because, if approved, it would hurt ordinary, lower-class citizens.
The lawmaker recently became involved in a controversy with the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, on whose platform he was elected, over his alleged relationship with President William Ruto and the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Hence, his decision to oppose the Bill is a surprise since he had previously been targeted on social media, with many expecting him to support it.
He stated that he had communicated with President Ruto about his decision on the Bill and received his approval.
The Lang'ata MP also warned his colleagues in the House that because the majority of Generation Z, who have been blamed for sparking the recent anti-Finance Bill rallies, live in the city, he will be held accountable to them if he goes against their wants and requests.
“First of all, I reject the Finance Bill, 2024. Immediately it touched everything around the common person like M-Pesa, cars, sanitary pads…I looked back and the whole generation in Lang’ata out here, having their voices so loud, even after the amendments, I had to make the choice that I’ve made today,” said Jalang’o.
“Out here is the Generation Z that I talk to everyday; I interact with them on Twitter, TikTok and everywhere…when most of you will have gone back to the villages, we will be with them here in Nairobi. Most of you know, I’m a friend to the President, I spoke to him and he knows very well that this is my stand.”
