Mbadi: If protests arise against Finance Bill 2026, that will not be my problem
By Mabonga Makhanu, June 10, 2026Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has unequivocally stated that should any protests arise as a result of the Finance Bill 2026, they would not be his problem but rather politically instigated.
Speaking during an interview on political analyst Herman Manyora’s YouTube podcast on the eve of the budget reading on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Mbadi insisted that if demonstrations were to occur following the presentation of the Finance Bill, he would not view them as a sign that he had failed the country in his role as Treasury Cabinet Secretary.
“I would not feel like I’ve let down the country; I would obviously know that that is politically instigated and not based on any facts, not based on my performance as a minister, because, Professor, before generating the Finance Bill, I held no less than 17 engagements across the country,” Mbadi said.
According to Mbadi, any protests that may emerge would be driven by political interests rather than dissatisfaction with his performance or the contents of the Finance Bill itself. He argued that he had gone to great lengths to ensure that the bill reflected the views of Kenyans before it was drafted.
The Treasury boss revealed that he conducted more than 17 public engagement forums across different parts of the country to gather views from various stakeholders before finalising the bill. He noted that the only region he did not visit was Northern Kenya, specifically Garissa.
Mitumba taxation
Mbadi cited the controversial issue of mitumba taxation, which has generated heated debate among Kenyans, as an example of the extensive consultations his ministry undertook.
He explained that after engaging stakeholders in the sector, they reached a consensus to introduce a single tax of five per cent on profits earned from the business, replacing the multiple levies and taxes that traders had previously described as oppressive.
He further noted that many Kenyans have misunderstood the proposed tax changes, insisting that the mitumba traders themselves were comfortable with the agreement reached after consultations with the government.
Finance Bill public participation
The cabinet secretary maintained that the Finance Bill 2026 was the product of wide-ranging consultations and public participation, making it difficult for him to accept that any resulting protests would be driven by genuine public dissatisfaction.
Mbadi’s remarks come at a time when opposition formations, including Linda Mwananchi and the United Opposition, have announced plans to take to the streets later this month to commemorate the June 2024 Gen Z protests.
The opposition groups have also renewed calls for the government to compensate victims of past demonstrations, with Ksh2 billion for compensation having been factored into the 2026/2027 National Budget ahead of the June 25 anniversary.
Opposition rejects Finance Bill 2026
The opposition leaders, led by Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi, have called upon their allies in the National Assembly to scrutinise the Finance Bill 2026 keenly when it is tabled before the House in the coming days.
Muturi urged them to reject the Bill in its entirety, even if they are outnumbered by lawmakers aligned with the government, arguing that such a stand would place them on the right side of history.
He further challenged the MPs to insist on voting on each individual proposal contained in the Bill, introducing amendments where necessary to safeguard the interests of Kenyans.
Muturi emphasised that they should not be intimidated by their counterparts in government who support the proposed legislation but should instead remain firm and steadfast in their convictions.