This week, the country has witnessed a rising revolt against the controversial Finance Bill 2024, with the public taking to the streets to protest the bill.
On Thursday, June 20, Members of Parliament defied the voices of the public when over 200 of them voted for the controversial Finance Bill through the second reading.
Data published by Mzalendo Watch, a non-partisan parliamentary monitoring organisation said 204 MPs voted YES, while 115 voted NO. Out of the 349 MPs, 29 were absent during the much-anticipated vote.
The Banissa MP seat is still vacant following the death of Kullow Maalim Hassan on March 28, 2023, while undergoing treatment at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.
Hassan had been admitted to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit after he was involved in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Nairobi on March 25.
A spot check by Kenyans.co.ke, has shown that a majority of the legislators followed party lines while casting their vote for the bill.
The National Assembly consists of 349 seats: 290 elected from the constituencies, 47 women (Women Representatives) elected from the counties and 12 nominated representatives.
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya serves as an ex officio member.
In the National Assembly, President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance boasts of a majority with 179 MPs from different parties who coalesced to form the coalition.
Kenya Kwanza Alliance has the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) 143, Amani National Congress (ANC) 7, FORD-K 6, United Democratic Movement (UDM) 5, Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) 3, United Party of Independent Alliance (UPIA) 2, United Progressive Alliance, Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) 2, The Service Party (TSP) 2, Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) 1, Devolution Party of Kenya(DPK) 1, Grand Dream Development Party (GDDP) 1 and Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) which has one representative.
In Raila Odinga's Azimio la Umoja, the minority side, around 10 parties united to sponsor one presidential candidate. The coalition has 158 MPs in the National Assembly.
The parties include the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) 89, Jubilee 30, Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) 26, Democratic Action Party (DAP) 5, Kenya African National Union (KANU) 5, Kenya Union Party (KUP) 3, National Ordinary People Empowerment Union (NOPEU) 1, National Agenda Party (NAP) 1 and lastly, United Democratic Party (UDP) has one.
The debacle on which alliance was a majority in the House was decided by the Speaker of the National Assembly albeit grumbling from the opposition side.
Some of the parties above, including independent candidates, shifted their allegiance in light of different personal and political interests.
Before the voting process on the contentious bill, officials from different parties warned its members not to go against the position of their respective political outfits.
However, the voting on the bill painted a picture of leaders who prioritised party lines, opposition and dalliance with the president, among other issues.
Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna asked the party's National Election Committee to initiate the process of recalling MPs who supported the punitive bill.
"As SG of ODM, I will be recommending to the Party NEC that we initiate recalls in one or two constituencies held by some of those who went against the wishes of the people," Sifuna said on his X account.
Sifuna lauded the protesters, saying MPs who voted for the bill would suffer the wrath of the dissenting voices.
"I celebrate the 115 patriots who heeded the call of Kenyans and voted against the Finance Bill 2024. Know their names. As to the 204 who voted yes, I will leave it to our new overlords, Gen Z, to do with as they please," he said.
The same interests saw the leaders vote a certain way in the hotly anticipated Finance Bill 2024 on the floor of the House.
The Finance Bill 2024 will return to the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 25. At that point, amendments will be introduced, and the House will engage in a clause-by-clause vote.
"Members, the matter of the Finance Bill is now over, we wait for the committee of the whole, those who have amendments to file, Clerk and his team will process those amendments," National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangu'la guided the legislators.
The bill will undergo a Third Reading, where a final vote will determine its approval or rejection.
If disagreements arise, a mediation committee will be formed to develop a compromise version for the House to consider and vote on.
