MPs backing tax bill pay heavy price of Tuesday's protests

Damage caused by demonstrators at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, June 25, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

As the country erupted in anger after the passage of the controversial Finance Bill, 2024, a number of  MPs who supported it suffered heavy losses after their homes and properties were attacked and vandalised.

The National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) offices of some targeted MPs were razed down as demonstrators, who were mainly the youth, protested the passage of the Bill which was voted by 196 MPs against 105 even as three votes became spoilt.

As the MPs were scampering for safety at Parliament buildings, protestors in Kikuyu constituency were razing down the offices belonging to the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah. He has vehemently defended the Bill that now awaits President William Ruto’s signature to become law.

At the home of Molo MP Kimani Kuria, who is also the National Assembly chairperson for the Finance and Planning Committee and who was instrumental in drafting the Finance Bill, members of the public said that they could see a billowing fire emanating from his compound, as one of his close allies confided with The Standard.

“It is true protestors stormed the MP’s house and burnt one of the structures, looted properties of unknown value, destroyed some vehicles and there are cases of injuries reported, one of the protestors was shot by the police,” the MP’s ally who requested anonymity told The Standard.

The ally claimed that the protesters were not from Molo constituency but outsiders who they believed had been hired from outside the constituency to wreak havoc on the MPs to create a narrative that the locals were unhappy with the MP over the Finance Bill.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi’s Timba XO club which was launched recently, was vandalised by protesters who threw stones at the entertainment spot while others took away alcoholic drinks while chanting ‘‘Ruto must go’’ slogans.

The storming of the club comes a few days after some residents faulted the MP for building the entertainment joint near a school, accusing him of allegedly violating the law.

Irate protesters also visited other NGCDF offices chanting anti-Ruto songs.

As this happened, some MPs who had run for their dear lives and were in their hideout as late as 6.30 pm told The Standard that they were at an undisclosed location.

“We are all in one area but we can’t disclose as we fear angry protesters are baying for our blood. It doesn’t matter who voted yes and no, we are in the same place,” an MP who did not want to be named told The Standard on phone.

Opposition leaders blamed the President and the ‘ignorant MPs’ for Tuesday’s chaos claiming it was the State that provoked the youth.

“The Ruto regime has orchestrated unprovoked mass shootings resulting in multiple deaths and injuries turning otherwise peaceful protests chaotic in order to justify declaring a state of emergency and violating civil liberties. Even in war ambulances and especially those of the Red Cross are allowed safe passage,” an MP wrote on X platform.

On his part, Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni said the President’s claims such as ‘‘we defeated the system and the Deep State’’ and actions such as luring the Opposition leader with the African Union Commission seat and the National Dialogue Committee report provoked Kenyans.

“This is what happens when you don’t allow institutions to do their work, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula defrauded the Opposition by stealing our numbers and declaring the Kenya Kwanza as the majority party, it is no longer about Finance Bill, it is about governance style,” Kioni said.

However, the President’s daughter Charlene Ruto urged the youth to air their grievances in a respectable manner as she defended her father saying that ‘‘he means well for the country’’.