A team of lawyers on Wednesday morning filed a petition seeking to bar the National Assembly from carrying out any further action on the Finance Bill 2024.
The lawyers led by Ndegwa Njiru are seeking to bar President William Ruto, who was named as the ninth respondent in the suit, from assenting to the bill.
The suit, a copy of which was obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, accused the state of continuing to push for the approval of the bill despite public protests across the country.
"In the face of vehement opposition to the proposed budget of for the 2024/2025 Financial Year mass protests have erupted across the country but the Government and its rubber-stamp National Assembly dominated by Kenya Kwanza Coalition members are determined to pass the Finance Bill, 2024 and Appropriation Act, 2024 and begin implementing them," Kibe Mungai, an advocate who participated in the suit, stated.
"The Government has resorted to high-handed tactics of violence against protesters, intimidation and abduction of leading protesters. There is a clear attempt to establish a right-wing dictatorship in Kenya to enforce the predatory economic policies of the IMF like it was done in the 1980s Chile under President Augusto Pinochet."
The lawyers, therefore, demand the Nairobi High Court to issue an injunction stopping the National Assembly from conducting further debate, proceedings, and voting in relation to the Finance Bill, 2024, and the Appropriation Bill, 2024 pending hearing and determination of the suit.
"By dint of Article 222(1) of the Constitution on the order of injunction be issued to restrain the 9th Respondent - H. E. President William Ruto - from assenting to the Finance Bill, 2024 and the Appropriation Bill, 2024 pending hearing and determination of this Application and/or Petition," read the petition in part.
The petition also sought the court to bar the state from implementing the provisions contained in the Finance Bill, 2024.
The petition came despite the Parliament approving the amendments to the Finance Bill after 195 lawmakers voted yes during Tuesday's second reading session.
In a special sitting on Wednesday shortly after protesters breached the perimeter wall and wreaked havoc inside Parliament, MPs exchanged blows while debating the state's decision to deploy Kenya Defence Forces soldiers.
The bill is expected to be forwarded to President William Ruto for assent who also wields the power to revert it back to the house with recommendations if he wishes.
