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Occupy Parliament organisers announce 7-day anti-Finance Bill protests
- Organisers have planned round two of Occupy Parliament demos on Tuesday next week when MPs will be voting on the Finance Bill, 2024.
- The Bill sailed through the Second Reading after 204 MPs THursday voted ‘Yes’ against 115 who opposed its passage.
Organisers of anti-tax protests have outlined a series of events beginning Friday that will culminate in round two of Occupy Parliament demos on Tuesday next week.
It's the same day MPs are expected to take a vote on the contentious Finance Bill, 2024.
Activist Boniface Mwangi, one of the organisers said that despite Kenyans’ collective rejection of the Bill, MPs Thursday still voted to enable the Bill to sail through the Second Reading stage.
“And despite our peaceful protests, police have responded with bullets, killing two of our own, maiming many others and one person is in critical condition,” he said.
“We refuse to be silenced, so we are marching on,” he added.
Rex Kanyike Masai, 24, was allegedly shot and killed Thursday evening in Nairobi at the tail-end of the nationwide protests.
His body is lying at the City Mortuary where Mwangi and a number of other activists pitched camp Friday morning to await autopsy results.
Ipoa has condoled with the bereaved family and said it has already instituted investigations into the alleged fatal shooting.
“A team of the Authority’s investigators is presently at the City Mortuary for the scheduled postmortem examination of the late Rex Masai, who was allegedly shot and killed by police during protests yesterday,” Ipoa said.
Mwangi said after City Mortuary, they will attend Jumaah prayers at Jamia Mosque where they will distribute water to those leaving after the prayers.
He added that on Saturday when the clock strikes midnight, “all bars and clubs where Gen Z frequent will stop the music to listen to a national crescendo of Reject Finance Bill”.
On Sunday, the lead activist asked churches to deny politicians who voted ‘Yes’ to the Bill the opportunity to speak.
The Bill sailed through the Second Reading after 204 MPs voted ‘Yes’ against 115 who opposed its passage.
“Day 4. Monday, June 24: Make a courtesy call on MPs who voted 'Yes' at the constituency office. Tell them: Endelea hivyo hivyo! Ostracise them for betraying 54 million Kenyans. Start collecting signatures to recall them,” he said.
Come Tuesday when MPs will be voting on the Finance Bill, Mwangi said the second round of Occupy Parliament protests will be underway complemented by similar demos countrywide.
“Day 5, Tuesday, June, 25: #OccupyParliament. A national strike. Gen Z are granting all hard-working Kenyans a day off. Parents keep your children at home in solidarity” he said.
On Wednesday, Mwangi said they will visit IPOA offices and the IG of Police to demand justice for Kanyeki.
He said this will be followed by another round of demonstrations on Thursday where they will march to State House to show their dissent on a day the President is expected to ascent to the Bill.
