Nairobi — National Assembly Finance Committee Chair Kimani Kuria has disclosed he received Sh168,000 from Kenyans who sent money ranging from Sh1 to Sh10 as they sought to confirm his number.
Kuria revealed the details before the floor of the National Assembly as he moved the Finance Bill 2024 for the second reading which opens room for debate on the provisions of the bill.
"Some of the Kenyans were generous to send us one shilling to ten shillings to confirm whether our numbers were authentic. I have written to the clerk wondering what to do with the Sh168,000 sent to my M-Pesa," he said.
The constitution sets the general framework for ethical conduct and integrity in public service, including for MPs.
The Public Officer Ethics Act and Leadership and Integrity Act explicitly prohibits the acceptance of gifts or donations that could create a conflict of interest or compromise their official duties.
While these laws do not outright ban MPs from receiving money from Kenyans, they place strict conditions and transparency requirements to ensure that such transactions don't comprise them.
"Receiving those gifts is against the laws of our republic and therefore I will be seeking guidance on what to do with the money because I tried reversing the one shilling and two shilling and it was impossible. I want to thank Kenyans for your generosity," Kuria stated.
Kenyans from all walks of life mobilized through social media platforms, community groups, and advocacy organizations to express their opposition.
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A grassroots campaign emerged, leveraging the power of text messaging to reach MPs directly.
On X, where the activities gathered burning steam, influential X personality Amerix started the hashtag #RespectMyHustle, under which he galvanised Kenyans into action, telling them to directly call their respective Members of Parliament and ask them to vote down the Finance Bill 2024.
Leading from the front, Amerix rolled out a list of phone numbers belonging to various legislators, encouraging his followers and Kenyans at large to boldly share more phone numbers and deliver the message.
Citizens were urged to text their MPs, highlighting the adverse effects the bill would have on their daily lives.
Messages flooded MPs' phones, sharing personal stories of economic hardship, urging them to vote against the bill, and reminding them of their duty to represent the people's interests.
The pressure from constituents was immense, with MPs confirming receipts of thousands of messages daily.
