'Gachagua is a lying, dishonourable man,' Moses Kuria responds

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has dismissed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s comments that the deadly protests against the Finance Bill 2024 could have been prevented if his boss, President William Ruto had been given intelligence about the public discontent it sparked.

After President William Ruto on Wednesday announced he would not sign the contentious Bill as a result of mounting public pressure, Gachagua gave a separate televised address blaming the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for what he termed as a failure to do their job.

He called the last-minute decision by President Ruto to recall the Bill ‘embarrassing’ to the government and even urged NIS Director-General Noordin Haji to resign.

“Ruto deserves better, he deserves a DG who knows what he is doing, who is effective and can analyse situations to keep the government informed,” Gachagua said from Mombasa.

Kuria has however branded Gachagua a liar, saying the DP is a part and parcel of the Kenya Kwanza team that was pushing for the proposed law.

“The Committee meeting that endorsed the original Finance Bill which included VAT for milk and bread was chaired by the Deputy President. What a lying, dishonourable man!” the minister wrote on X on Wednesday night.

In choosing not to assent to the proposed law, President Ruto referred it back to Parliament with his reservations, proposing the deletion of all clauses.

The Bill proposed increased taxation as Ruto’s government sought to raise an additional Ksh.346.7 billion in revenue for the 2024/25 budget.

Peaceful youth-led demonstrations against it have however turned deadly as police fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at protesters.

The death toll on Wednesday stood at 22, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, which said over 300 others were injured and 50 more arrested.

But even after Ruto’s announcement that he would not assent to the 2024 Finance Bill, a section of demonstrators on social media said they were still prepared to resume protests Thursday in solidarity with those police killed.