'I Concede': Kenya's President Announces He Will Not Sign Tax Increase Bill Following Deadly Protests

Kenyan President William Ruto announced he would not sign the controversial tax increase bill during a press briefing at the State House in Nairobi on June 26, after deadly protests erupted across the country.

At least 23 people were killed, according to reports, during protests across Kenya against the Finance Bill 2024, which proposed austerity measures including tax hikes for individual citizens.

Parliament voted to pass the bill on Tuesday, June 25, inciting demonstrators to storm the Supreme Court and Parliament buildings in Nairobi. Ruto deployed military forces in response, resulting in the deaths of at least five people due to gunshot wounds, according to Amnesty International.

On Wednesday, Ruto offered condolences to the families of those killed and said he would reject the bill.

“Having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the Finance Bill 2024 and listening keenly to the people of Kenya, who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill.”

Ruto said the bill would be withdrawn and called on the nation to progress in conversation about the affairs of the country “together,” proposing an engagement with Kenya’s young people to discuss their concerns and ideas. Credit: State House Kenya via Storyful

Video transcript

These members of parliament came back to us after they went to listen to the people of Kenya and they came back and reduced the budget on their own to buy 100 and 46 billion shillings.

Notwithstanding all these concessions, 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.

I am grateful to all the members of the National Assembly who voted yesterday affirmatively for the finance bill 2024 as amended on the floor of the House to incorporate the views generated through public participation and following the passage of the bill, the country witnessed widespread expression of dissatisfaction with the bill as passed, regrettably resulting in the loss of life, destruction of property and disgression of constitutional institutions.

On my own behalf and on behalf of these members and many other Kenyans, I send my condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this very unfortunate manner.

Consequently, having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the finance bill, 2024 and listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this finance bill 2024 I concede.

And therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be with a drone.

And I have agreed with these members that that becomes our collective position Accordingly, there is need for us as a nation to pick up from here and go into the future.

And I am therefore proposing that because we have gotten rid of the finance bill 2024 it is necessary for us to have a conversation as a nation going forward.

How do we manage the affairs of the country together?

How do we manage our debt situation together?

How do we work on the budget with a deficit that now exist together?

And as I committed last Sunday, I will be proposing an engagement with the young people of our nation, our sons and daughters for us to listen to them.

As I said on Sunday, listen to their views, listen to their proposals, their ideas, their concerns and what they think we should do better as we go forward