Kenyan MPs pass controversial finance bill amid protests

Despite sustained protests from thousands of citizens, Kenya’s national assembly has passed the controversial finance bill.

The lawmakers voted 195 against 106 to pass the bill on Tuesday in an exercise with no abstentions.

President William Ruto urged parliament to pass the bill last week after the protests gathered momentum.

The bill was adopted with amendments to drop controversial taxes on bread, financial services, and motor vehicles.

However, lawmakers agreed to higher tax measures, including increasing the rate of the railway development levy to 2.5 percent of customs value and 3.5 percent for the import declaration fee.

The bill is now headed for Ruto’s desk for assent.

Ruto had said he was ready to dialogue with youths who have sustained the protests.

But after demonstrations took a dramatic turn on Tuesday, the president said conversations around the bill had been “hijacked by dangerous people”.

Ruto said democratic expression and crime must be isolated and vowed that the state would respond fully to the situation.

So far, several people have been confirmed dead after police fired live rounds and lobbed tear gas at demonstrators in Nairobi in a bid to quell the uprising.

Kenyan police were also seen beating and arresting some paramedics who were helping injured protesters.