Nairobi — Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has urged President William Ruto not to assent to the controversial Finance Bill 2024 passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday amid nationwide protests opposing it.

The lawyer asked President Ruto, to give concession regarding the Bill and listen to Kenyans who came out in large numbers in the protests. protesting against the controversial Bill.

"President Ruto, please give concession. It will not show weakness. It will show leadership. Listening to the will of the people is true leadership," he urged.

He stated that the contentious Bill should be taken back to parliament for legislators to forgo the punitive taxes present in the Bill that seeks to raise taxes to finance government's budget for Financial Year 2024/25.

"The Finance Bill has left Parliament and is on the President's desk. President William Ruto should not assent to the bill. He must send it back to Parliament," he said.

Lawyer Ahmednasir faulted the punitive taxes in the Bill pleading the Kenya Kwanza government to cut down it's expenditure and reduce wastage.

"The President must listen to the national consensus that the Finance Bill is oppressive and cruel to all Kenyans," he added.195 lawmakers voted in favour of the Bill, giving it a nod to enter the final phase while 106 Mps voted against the Bill which now awaits Presidential assent.

Majority of the amendments to the Bill which sailed through were moved by the Finance Committee chaired by Molo MP Kimani Kuria and a section of legislators from the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.