Kenya’s President William Ruto has said he will not sign a finance bill that led protesters to storm Parliament in anger over rising costs, adding that the bill containing tax hikes would “be withdrawn”...........

Protesters carry the body of a man who was shot during a protest over proposed tax increases in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 [Andrew Kasuku/AP Photo] Published On 26 Jun 2024 Kenya’s President William Ruto has said he will not sign a finance bill that led protesters to storm Parliament in anger over rising costs, adding that the bill containing tax hikes would “be withdrawn”. “I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,” Ruto said in a televised address on Wednesday . “The people have spoken.” Ruto said he would now start a dialogue with Kenyan young people, without going into details, and work on austerity measures – starting with cuts to the budget of the presidency – to make up the difference in the country’s finances. His comments came after dozens of people were reported killed and scores more wounded as police broke up rallies against the contentious bill. The move will be seen as a ...