By ERIC BONUKE
Scores of people have been arrested in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) Tuesday afternoon as police moved to stop a plan to hold demonstrations outside Parliament Buildings to pressure MPs to reject punitive tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024.
Hundreds of Kenyans responded to the ‘Occupy Parliament’ campaign that has been taking place online but those who turned out wearing black T-shirts were swiftly apprehended and thrown into police vehicles stationed at strategic positions within the CBD.
While organisers had said they had notified police of their planned peaceful protest, Nairobi Regional Commander Adamson Bungei said they did not receive any application to hold a peaceful protest.
Instead, police fired tear gas canisters at the protesters who were blowing whistles and chanting slogans opposing the Finance Bill 2024.
A lawyer, Wanjohi Gachie, said he was protesting on behalf of all Kenyans who would be potentially burdened by the tax hikes.
“I’m requesting the police not to arrest or beat us, because we are fighting for their rights as well,” he said.
The protests were held despite the government bowing to public pressure and dropped various controversial revenue raising measures that the National Treasury had proposed to reduce the budget deficit, ensure the government can meet its obligations without borrowing.
At a meeting of Kenya Kwanza MPs held at State House, Nairobi and chaired by President William Ruto, the National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee chairman Kimani Kuria revealed that they had agreed to drop the 2.5 per cent motor vehicle tax, 16 per cent VAT on bread and 25 per cent excise duty on vegetable oils to avoid overburdening Kenyans already reeling from a steep cost of living crisis.
Other concessions include restricting the eco levy tax only to imported manufactured goods, retaining mobile money transaction fees at 15 per cent and removing on financial services and foreign exchange transactions. At the same time, only imported diapers will be subject to tax.
The Kuria committee will table its report in the House this afternoon during the second reading stage with voting likely to take place either tomorrow afternoon or Thursday.
The Azimio parliamentary group is set to hold at meeting within Parliament starting at 5pm today to take a common position on the Bill.