Finance Bill cloud hangs over Ruto’s first Madaraka address

President William Ruto will be presiding over his first Madaraka Day commemorations since he was elected in last year’s General Election.

The President, who is scheduled to deliver his address at the Embu Stadium in Embu County, is expected to outline the government’s achievements as well as the gains the country has made since he took over eight months ago.

For Ruto, the event will be a far cry from the last Madaraka Day event when he was snubbed by his predecessor, then President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Uhuru, who was addressing his last national celebrations before the elections, went straight to his speech after the entertainment session.

Traditionally, the Deputy President invites the Head of State to address national events.

At the time the duo had openly fallen out with Uhuru publicly campaigning for Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

Ruto is expected to deliver his address at a time when his government is facing a myriad of challenges, including having to deal with the growing opposition to the controversial Finance Bill, the high cost of living and the collapse of the bipartisan talks.

The Finance Bill 2023, which is set to be tabled in Parliament next week when the National Assembly resumes its sittings, has been received with mixed reactions with the Opposition, trade unions and several civil society groups saying the Budget will make the lives of Kenyans more difficult.

Raila on Tuesday vowed to rally Azimio la Umoja legislators to reject the Bill in Parliament.

Over 130 MPs who attended a parliamentary group meeting convened by Raila yesterday resolved to sign a public pledge to oppose the bill.

A statement from the Azimio meeting said the Finance Bill must be withdrawn and replaced by a Bill that “appreciates the suffering the people of Kenya are going through”.

“On the Finance Bill, our members have come to the conclusion that it has only bad news, worse news and the worst news. We consider this to be a Bill from people living either in another planet or another country,” the Azimio legislators said in their statement.

On Sunday, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah told Ruto to his face that he would head to court to block the bill should the government fail to address some of the controversial clauses, including the three per cent housing levy.

“I had already prepared a petition to take to court, but when I heard you were coming to Busia, I held it. Because we are friends, let’s not fight. Otherwise next week, we shall meet there (court),” Omtatah said during an interdenominational church service in Busia County which Ruto attended.

The President’s address will also come at a time when the Opposition has announced that the bipartisan talks among MPs will remain suspended until the ruling Kenya Kwanza accedes to their raft of demands.

“Until all these are agreed on, the joint bipartisan talks remain suspended. Kenya Kwanza has up to midnight today to comply,” reads the statement by the Azimio team.

The talks collapsed because of hardline positions taken by the two sides on some contentious issues.

Kenya Kwanza has accused their colleagues on Azimio la Umoja side of creating unnecessary roadblocks thus derailing the negotiations.

Azimio insists the government side is not interested in the negotiations and is just buying time.