The National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC-Kenya) Party Leader, Martha Karua, issued a stern warning regarding plans to reintroduce sections of the previously rejected Finance Bill 2024.
Addressing the media on Thursday, August 22, 2024, Karua, accompanied by party officials, accused President William Ruto’s administration of employing tactics that sparked nationwide protests earlier in the year.
Karua, who was the running mate of Raila Odinga in the 2022 presidential election, indicated that the Kenya Kwanza regime was attempting to revive contentious issues from the Finance Bill that had been rejected by the public.
She specifically pointed to the fuel levy as one of the provisions being considered for reintroduction through amendments in the National Assembly.
Karua appealed to Kenyans to remain vigilant and resist any attempts by the government to impose rejected clauses from the Finance Bill.
“Some aspects of the rejected bill, such as the fuel levy and other issues, are being reintroduced by this tone-deaf regime. As Kenyans, we must not accept this,” Karua said.
Her remarks came after National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed plans to revive certain sections of the bill, including the eco-levy.
Mbadi, who recently joined Ruto’s government as part of a broad-based coalition, acknowledged that some amendments were necessary.
In addition to her concerns over the Finance Bill, Karua vowed to hold President Ruto accountable for the human rights violations committed during anti-government protests.
She condemned the administration for allowing innocent Kenyans to be brutalized during demonstrations and accused the President of disregarding court orders.
Karua pledged to mobilize the public in opposition to the government until all concerns raised by anti-government protesters were addressed.
“In the absence of any response by the Ruto regime, we will unite as Kenyans and push for accountability. We are witnessing a period of increased impunity,” she said.
Furthermore, Karua stated her intent to report the human rights violations to international bodies, including the African Union Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights. “Every drop of blood spilled in the quest for justice must be accounted for. We will submit formal complaints to the AU and UN human rights bodies,” she vowed.
Karua also criticized the government’s new university education funding model, describing it as a betrayal to Kenyan students. She argued that the model, if implemented without proper public participation, would be unconstitutional and discriminatory. “We must reject this oppressive university funding model which burdens our students and their families,” she stated.
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