There's nothing wrong with an MP changing sides after voting for Finance law - Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan

This after Kandara MP Chege Njuguna and Gatanga MP Edward Muriiu, who voted for the controversial Finance Act, teamed up on February 26, 2024, with local farmers to stop an awareness campaign by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials.

The KRA officers had turned up to sensitize farmers on a requirement that businesses should electronically generate and transmit their invoices to KRA through eTIMS.

Amid simmering questions on whether Legislators pass the laws under duress, MP Hassan said that every legislator is at liberty to change their opinion on a law if it is unsavoury to the electorate.

He argued that opinions can vary after appending signatures on a law and the will of the people is the ultimate power on how a leader represents their regional residents.

"The master is not the President, the Speaker, the majority party it is the people. Taking sides with the people who voted for him is the most important thing and fighting for them," he said.

"There are certain aspects of the registration I support but it doesn't mean that if it is hurting the people who voted for me I will continue supporting that legislation."

MP Hassan therefore defended the two targeted MPs noting that they were simply heeding to the people's requests.

"What really matters is that they are standing with their people. There is nothing in changing your mind," he added.

President Ruto assented the contentious Bill into law on June 26 and has since seen Kenyans digging deeper into their pockets to fund the government's first unsavory budget.