President William Ruto has been advised by former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko to rethink signing the contentious Finance Bill 2024, which has caused a great deal of controversy among some Kenyans.
Sonko urged President Ruto to bring the bill back to parliament in a statement posted on his social media account, stating that the opinions of Kenyans who are against it should be taken into consideration.
"If your heart is with the people of Kenya, Your Excellency send the Finance bill back to the sender," Sonko urged.
Sonko, who sent out seven ambulances staffed by twenty-one medical professionals to tend to injured demonstrators, claimed that the nation's protests drew a diverse range of people, including the offspring of wealthy individuals.
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He mentioned that a lot of them were allowed to participate in the demonstrations by their parents.
"The sons of prominent people including my son in Kwale County, and Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit's son, among others, joined the demos. This should tell you that it is not business as usual," Sonko said.
Sonko had earlier counseled the government to hold talks with the public before introducing the bill and to resolve the demolitions in Nairobi in a cooperative manner.
He pointed out that a number of the bill's assertions would not sit well with Kenyans.
There were chaotic incidents across the nation on Tuesday during the anti-finance bill demonstrations.
After Members of Parliament passed the Finance Bill, 2024, a segment of Kenyans stormed Parliament in a fit of rage.
Several people were shot with some reported to have died in the melee.
The protesters also burned a number of vehicles belonging to the Police as tension escalated outside the country’s legislature.
This is the first time in the history of Kenya that protesters have broken barriers and accessed inside Parliament despite heavy security.
Previously, police had managed to block protesters from gaining access to Parliament and always cordoned off the protection.
Opposition leaders had in the past held protests but police succeeded in blocking them from accessing Parliament.
Many were shot, and some of them are said to have passed away during the altercation.
Tensions outside the nation's legislature escalated, and the protesters set fire to several police vehicles.
For the first time in Kenyan history, demonstrators have scaled barriers and entered the Parliament building in spite of tight security.
In the past, police had always cordoned off the protection and prevented protestors from entering Parliament.
In previous instances, opposition leaders staged demonstrations, but law enforcement managed to bar them from entering Parliament.
After the State House, Parliament is one of the most heavily guarded and secure locations, being a gazetted area.
Security personnel are given greater authority to prevent any intrusion into the legislature as a result of the protected status.
The Finance Bill, 2024 was approved by MPs by a vote of 195 to 106, clearing the way for President William Ruto to sign it into law.
In the past, demonstrators had beaten police and made their way to Parliament Road, where they were able to enter the Parliament Buildings.
