“Wametuzoea” Detained Protesters Burst into Song in Jail Cell(Video)
Police on Tuesday arrested several activists who were part of the ‘Occupy Parliament’ protest opposed to the passage of the Finance Bill, 2024.
Among them were several female protesters who were bungled in waiting for police trucks and driven to the Central Police Station amid condemnation from the Law Society of Kenya for police to exercise restraint.
In a show of defiance, the protesters continued to demonstrate against the Bill inside the holding cells with song and dance, telling the government they wouldn’t back down.
“Wametuzoea! Wametuzoeaaa! Nani? Serikali, wametuzoeaa! Hatutakubali, hatutakubalii!” they sung.
This, even as President William Ruto was leading his troops at State House in letting Kenyans know their voices had been heard and several contentious clauses in the Finance Bill had been dropped.
The Finance Committee of the National Assembly chaired by Kimani Kuria briefed the Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group that proposed VAT on bread, transportation of sugarcane, financial services, and foreign exchange transactions, Excise duty on vegetable oil and 2.5 percent Motor Vehicle Tax had been dropped.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah said the government had decided to strike a balance between raising revenue without straining Kenyans saying the Kenya Kwanza administration “is not a deaf administration; it listens to its people’s needs”.
“Your voices have shaped this Bill, reflecting our collective aspirations and concerns. Delicate as it is, Kenya Kwanza remains sensitive to the people. Together, we are building a more inclusive and responsive government,” Ichung’wah said.
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But even then, Kuria informed Kenyans that after briefing the Parliamentary Group on the report, the President held that the government would not pull back to making the right decisions regardless of how difficult they may be.
“His Excellency the President informed the PG that the Executive and the Legislature will continue making the right decisions no matter how difficult they are. He pointed out that last year’s proposal in Finance Bill 2023 has led to tremendous progress,” Kuria said.
Meanwhile, LSK said police excesses during the restraining of protesters during the demonstrations against the Bill will not go unpunished.
LSK president Faith Odhiambo said Nairobi region Police Commander Adamson Bungei will be held personally accountable for any arbitrary arrests or violence against protesters.
“The running battles and use of teargas on protestors that we have seen images of this morning are a despicable affront to the rule of law,” Odhiambo said.
“We are closely monitoring today’s events and will take legal action to find Bungei and any officer who violates the rights of the protesters on account of his instructions personally liable for any breaches of the Constitution and the National Police Service Act,” she added.
“Wametuzoea” Detained Protesters Burst into Song in Jail Cell(Video)
