NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has pointed to ineffective communication as the primary reason behind the strong public opposition to the Finance Bill 2024.
Speaking during a presidential round table, Ruto acknowledged that his administration failed to effectively convey the Bill’s content and its potential benefits to the Kenyan public.
“We did not explain ourselves better,” President Ruto admitted. “I am sure my communication team failed, and our communication architecture did not deliver. The message did not get out to the people.”
Ruto highlighted the confusion surrounding land issues, which many believed were included in the Bill, although this was not the case.
He asserted that had he been given the chance to explain the Bill’s provisions and its impact on the economy, Kenyans would have been more supportive.
Ruto emphasized that the failure to pass the Bill would adversely affect numerous programs and services. For instance, counties will need to cut Sh30 billion from their budgets, and the constituency development fund will be reduced by Sh10 billion.
Despite the setback, President Ruto remains hopeful. He announced the withdrawal of the Bill last Wednesday and proposed a multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement within the next 14 days to discuss the Bill’s contents and related issues.
“There is a need for us as a nation to pick up from here and go into the future,” Ruto said. “Because we have gotten rid of the Finance Bill, it is necessary for us as a nation to have a conversation on how to manage the affairs of the country together, our debt situation, and the budget deficit that exists.”
Efforts by Kenya Kwanza to amend some of the more contentious tax measures were unsuccessful, as the public called for the complete rejection of the Bill.
