MPs approve William Ruto's Finance Bill, vote disputed
The National Assembly has voted to approve President William Ruto’s contested Finance Bill, 2024 in the Second Reading, amid countrywide protests against taxation measures in the proposed law.
The Bill sailed through on Thursday evening in a roll-call vote that was undertaken after some members disputed the outcome of the vote that had been done by acclamation.
The members had petitioned Speaker Moses Wetang’ula for a division.
Also called a rising vote, a division is where members stand up from their seats to cast votes, and typically, it is taken when the result of a voice vote is challenged or when a two-thirds vote is required.
Mr Wetang’ula granted the request but instead of the division, he allowed members to vote by roll call.
According to results announced by Mr Wetang'ula after the roll call, the House voted 204 against 115 to send the bill to the Committee Stage.
Second Reading is the stage of the legislative process where a draft of a bill is read a second time, and a vote is taken on the general outlines of the proposed law before it moves to the Committee Stage.
Committee Stage, on the other hand, is the stage in which a detailed examination of a bill, usually clause by clause, takes place.
Find a recap of today's protests on our Live Blog
Harry Misiko contributed to this report.
