A number of MPs have had to deal with numerous phone calls and messages from Kenyans about their stand on the Financial Bill 2024 after their numbers were shared online.
Users of X (formerly Twitter) have been sharing numbers of the lawmakers, urging Kenyans to pressure their legislators to reject the bill which seeks to introduce a number of punitive taxes.
Some legislators have responded, with Peter Salasya (Mumias East) complaining via a post on Instagram of how he barely slept because his phone has been vibrating throughout.
“Who has shared my number on X everybody across the nation is calling my number, texting me and WhatsApping (sic) me I can't sleep the phone is vibrating throughout ati I reject finance bill kesho na wananitumia shilingi moja kwa mpesa to confirm if it's me,” he posted.
Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Zainab also tweeted, saying she had read the messages and would reject the bill she termed as a scam.
“I'm waking up to numerous messages from concerned Kenyans asking me to reject the Finance Bill 2024. I want to clarify that I have opposed this scam disguised as a finance bill from day one. It poses a dangerous threat to the livelihood of the common mwananchi,” she said
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna welcomed the move by Kenyans to call their MPs, saying it was nice that more people are taking interest in such key matters.
“The civic awakening in Kenya is something to behold. I like that citizens are taking up public spaces to express themselves on key matters,” he said.
"Content creators, comedians, everyone is taking up space hitherto hogged by politicos like me and doing a great job at it! You are calling your MPs finally! Im happy wakenya wenzangu."
“And before you ask, the standing instruction to ODM Party MPs is to #RejectFinanceBill2024 in toto,” he added.
The campaign to pile pressure on lawmakers ahead of voting as well as engaging in discussions to better understand the Finance Bill 2024 have taken over various platforms.
Discussions have been held on X Spaces and experts have also written Threads to help break down the figures.
It is however worth noting that while many Kenyans will be watching Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u as he reads the budget statement in Parliament, voting by MPs will not happen today.
The 15-member National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee, which is currently preparing its report after collecting views from members of the public, will have to first table its report in Parliament.
