A section of clerics from Nyeri are now appealing to the Government to heed the cries of protesters opposed to the Finance Bill 2024 and seek a common ground.
The religious leaders, meeting under the umbrella of Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches (KNCPC), say there is still room to come up with better legislation that has the blessing of Kenyans through rigorous public participation.
They are calling for the withdrawal of the Bill (which has already sailed through the committee stage) which they have termed punitive.
“What we are asking the Government is to listen to the public. Let the bill be removed from Parliament. Let them recall it and then let us have their demands of this country. As a church we are telling the President (Dr William Ruto) that we feel we should shelve the Finance Bill 2024 until it is agreed upon,” said Bishop Dr.Erastus Njoroge chair of the KNCPC .Dr Njoroge also read the memo that was endorsed by18 other clerics.
“When you hear young people speak it is because we have problems, acute problems. They don’t have jobs, don’t know where to get money. What you are hearing is because they are desperate. Please listen to the people. Let the authorities hear what they are saying,” they pleaded.
Last week youths opposed to the Bill in Nyeri issued a notice to Police of their intention to conduct a peaceful demo beginning tomorrow, Thursday.
In a letter penned by Concerned Nyeri County Residents and copied to the Nyeri Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Charles Chacha, the organizers want security agents to provide them with security and ensure there is adherence to the rule of law.
According to the one-page letter signed by one Joan Wambui Alias Zuena, the protesters have also given their contacts in case the planned protests turn violent.
“As concerned youths and residents of Nyeri County, we would like to notify you that at 10am Thursday, June 2024, we have invited all residents of Nyeri County to proceed on a peaceful march from Whispers Park, within Nyeri Town and back to Whispers Park, as provided under Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya,” read part of the letter.
“Our primary objective of the march is to join the nation in one voice of solidarity to demand that our elected members of Parliament from Nyeri County show up in Parliament and vote NO to the proposed Finance Bill 2024.We intend to conduct the march in a peaceful and orderly manner, adhering to all legal requirements and respecting public peace, order and property,” added the letter which was copied to the Nyeri County Police Commander.
The protests began two weeks ago in Nairobi where demonstrators (mostly youth) spent the better part of the day playing hide and seek games with anti-riot police leading to the arrest of hundreds of them.
As of now, tentacles of the demos have already reared their heads in other counties including Mombasa, Kisii, Kisumu, Eldoret, Meru, Kajiado and Nakuru with more counties joining the movement by the day.
The demos have been growing in intensity despite the Government’s decision last week that saw the deletion of some of the controversial clauses like the 16 per cent VAT on bread and 25 per cent tax on crude oil.
Now KNCPC is warning the State to handle the mostly youthful protesters under the code name Gen-Z with care to avoid plunging the country into anarchy.
“Gen-Z disease is very unpredictable like civil society disease or political fraternity. Gen-Z current mass action has gotten many by surprise, and we should not ignore them. We acknowledge that they have got a reason to be bitter with things that are absolutely difficult; joblessness, crime, moral decadence name it. All this has been occasioned by mega corruption in many government ministries,” added the Dr Njoroge.
By Samuel Maina
