Kenya’s President William Ruto’s decision not to sign the Financial Bill 2024 offers valuable lessons for Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, according to Constitutional Lawyer Justice Srem-Sai.
President Ruto announced on television that he would not sign the bill after days of protests that have resulted in over 22 deaths.
In his address, Mr. Ruto explained the necessity of introducing the taxes, stating that the country needed them for priority areas.
“The Finance Bill 2024 underwent public participation which resulted to concessions by which we agreed to drop proposals on VAT on bread, VAT on locally manufactured diapers and sanitary pads…among others. The additional tax measures we had proposed were to raise 346 billion shillings (KES)…after public participation, that came down to 200 billion. I made the proposal looking at our situation and priorities,” he said.
Justice questioned whether there was even the constitutionally mandated quorum which requires 50 members in the National Assembly before it was approved.
He posted on X “National Assembly Has Just Made Kenya A Military State; Authorizing Deployment Of KDF Without Indicating Where, Why Or For What Period, & Did So Retrospectively Contrary to Article 241(3)(c). God Bless Us.”
It is unclear whether the latest move by President William Ruto would stop the planned continuous protest today, Thursday, June 27, 2024.
In a post on his X platfrom, Justice Srem-Sai said “Kenya is teaching our President something very basic once again – the proper way to veto a bill. Rule of law. Ruto could have questioned the quorum and other internal parliamentary procedural matters which went into passing the bill.
William Ruto emphasized that the priority areas included a 10 billion shilling allocation for a fertilizer subsidy in agriculture, and 6 billion shillings for education and health insurance, among other areas.
But the Kenyan President said he has been made to change his mind on the matter.
“It has become evident that members of the public still insist on the need for us to make more concessions, and because I run a government, but I also lead people, and the people have spoken…. having reflected, on the Financial Bill 2024 and listening keenly to the people of Kenya, I concede and therefore will not sign the Finance Bill 2024 and it shall be withdrawn…and that becomes our collective position.”
He subsequently wrote to Parliament about his decision not to sign the Bill.
The National Assembly of Kenya’s Parliament authorized the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to assist the police during the nationwide protests against the Finance Bill, 2024.