Nairobi, June, 24, -- Kenya African National Union (KANU) party leader Gideon Moi has condemned the recent violent abductions of young protesters opposing the Finance Bill, 2024.
Moi described the emerging pattern of abductions as "deeply troubling" and called for immediate action to uphold the rule of law.
Various stakeholders have criticized government's response to the protests with allegations of unlawful detentions and human rights abuses.
"The emerging pattern where young people are being violently abducted on account of engineering the protests against the Finance Bill, 2024 is deeply troubling and warrants unequivocal condemnation," Moi stated.
Moi has stressed that any person suspected of committing a crime should be arrested legally and presented before a court of competent jurisdiction.
He has emphasized that Kenya is governed by the rule of law, not by the whims of individuals.
"If anyone is suspected of having committed any crime, they must be arrested in accordance with the law and be produced in a court of competent jurisdiction," he asserted.
The KANU leader condemned the use of unlawful tactics to silence voices critical of the government's economic policies.
He highlighted the burden of over-taxation, unresponsive economic policies, and lack of government accountability as key issues driving the protests.
"An attempt to suppress the voices of those who bear the brunt of over-taxation, unresponsive economic policies and lack of accountability on the part of the government through unlawful tactics is unacceptable," Moi declared.
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Moi also called on the government to reject the Finance Bill and focus on industrialization rather than taxation.
He urged authorities to view young people with grievances as victims of harsh economic policies, not as enemies.
"We reject the Finance Bill, urge the government to prioritise Industrialisation over Taxation and stop viewing the young people with grievances as the enemies yet they are victims of harsh economic policies," he concluded.
The Finance Bill, 2024, which has sparked widespread protests, proposes several controversial tax hikes that critics argue will disproportionately affect the youth and the economically vulnerable.
Dozens of protesters were arrested during Thursday's anti-finance bill protests across the country that left over 200 others injured.
Joint statement by the Law Society of Kenya, Kenya Medical Association, Defenders Coalition, Independent Medical Legal Unit and Amnesty International condemned police brutality saying most of the protesters were arrested in the capital Nairobi, Garissa, Kisumu, Vihiga, Narok, Uasin Gishu and Nakuru.
According to the statement, the peaceful demonstrations took place across 19 counties but turned violent when police resorted to use of force
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