Azimio Senators call on Ruto to resign over demos
By Rawlings, June 26, 2024
Azimio Senators have called for the resignation of President William Ruto following the countrywide protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
The Senators Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), Enock Wambua (Kitui), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Catherine Mumma (Nominated) and Beth Syengo (Nominated) called on President Ruto to listen to the statements from the Kenyan protestors and resign.
Yesterday, the Azimio lawmakers vowed that what the people say is what they will do
“President Ruto does not own this country. What he owns is a clueless government. This country belongs to all of us. We are telling President Ruto to give us back our country. If he doesn’t give it to us, we shall take it,” said Wambua.
He went on: “He cannot continue to maim and harass and intimidate young people who are crying out to him and telling him that the cost of living is unbearable and this Finance Bill is unacceptable.”
Minority leader
Wambua who is also the Senate Deputy Minority Leader, charged that the Kenya Kwanza government has budgeted a Sh1trillion for corruption.
Without tabling any evidence, Wambua charged that the logical thing for President Ruto’s administration was to withdraw the bill and come with a Sh2.5 trillion budget.
“The voice of the People is the voice of God. If ever God spoke in Kenya in the last one week, he has spoken very loudly and clearly. The professional bodies told the Finance Committee that the bill will make cost of living unbearable, the business community have also spoken,” said Wambua.
Sifuna while thanking the National Assembly members of Azimio who headed the call to drop all the amendments in response to the call of the Kenya people for a total repudiation of the Finance Bill.
“Our position is, you cannot amend something as bad as the Finance Bill 2024. We also condemn in the strongest terms possible the actions of the Police who are using live bullets against the protestors,” said Sifuna.
He went on: “Despite the promises that the Keya Kwanza regime made during campaigns those instruments of state will not be used against those who do not agree with them. We have seen goons going to people’s houses in the wee hours of the morning.”
According to Sifuna, some seven Kenyans were picked from their homes at night and not from the streets and called on their release unconditionally.
“The National Assembly must listen to the people of Kenya. The young people are outraged because of the lifestyle of those in power today,” said Sifuna.
On Monday, Azimio MPs called for total rejection of the bill amidst heightened protest across the country with calls from Youth popularly known as ‘Gen Z’, the church, economists and a section of the political class calling for the withdrawal of the bill.