Azimio la Umoja Members of Parliament, on Thursday, June 15, walked out of the chambers minutes after Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u began presenting the 2023/24 Budget. This was an interruption in Parliament as Azimio MPs made their stand clear.
In a display of protest, the legislators expressed their disapproval by jeering at the Cabinet Secretary (CS) and chanting songs. Subsequently, they convened a separate press conference outside. Clearly, they had interrupted Parliament proceedings.
During the commotion, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, was forced to call the house to order. The Members of Parliament walked out shortly after the CS mentioned that the budget marked the inaugural one for President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration. This caused an interruption as Azimio MPs voiced their dissent.
In their press briefing, the Azimio legislators lamented that the budget would oppress Kenyans. They described it as Ruto’s punitive tax measures.
“We cannot allow a budget that is going to hurt an overwhelming majority of Kenyans. We know that Rome was not built in a day, but we cannot accept this,” Likoni MP Mishi Mboko complained amidst the interruption created by Azimio.
“Azimio does not believe in this budget. That is why we have walked out. It is not meant for the Kenyan people but for the Kenya Kwanza government. Until we get a budget premised on the Kenyan people, we will not participate,” Suna East MP Junet Mohamed echoed. He further explained the interruption caused by Azimio MPs in Parliament.
Notably, some Azimio MPs remained in the chambers for the proceedings, despite the earlier walkout causing an interruption.
CS Ndung’u, nonetheless, proceeded to delve into the highlights of the Ksh3.6 trillion budget minutes after the short disruption caused by the walkout.
In his speech, the CS underpinned that the budget was anchored on the global economic state and Ruto’s bottom-up economic model.
“The Kenyan Kwanza government has begun the journey to bring down the cost of living and improve livelihoods. At the same time, they aim to foster a sustainable, inclusive economic transformation,” the CS stated, despite the preceding interruption.
On June 14, several Azimio MPs also skipped the First and Second readings of the Financial Bill 2023.
The coalition party leader, Raila Odinga, had earlier pledged to lead nationwide protests against the Bill and the budget. Raila listed the 16 per cent taxation on petroleum products, the housing levy, and insurance compensation. These were among clauses his political formation felt were punitive and unwarranted. This led to a significant interruption in Parliament as Azimio MPs staged their protest.
Source-https://www.kenyans.co.ke/
Interruption In Parliament As Budget Reading Disrupted
