Budget 2023/24: Azimio MPs Explain Dramatic Walkout From Parliament [VIDEO]

Azimio la Umoja Members of Parliament on Thursday, June 15 spoke to the media minutes after staging a prompt walkout of Parliament minutes after Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u began presenting the 2023/24 Budget.

The lawmakers explained that they did not want to participate in the reading of the budget, claiming that it was meant to do more harm than good to Kenyans.

"We cannot allow a budget that is going to hurt a number of Kenyans. We know that Rome was not built in a day, but we cannot accept this," Likoni MP Mishi Mboko stated.

Here is the video:

Azimio la Umoja MPs speaking after walking out of Parliament minutes before Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u reads the #Budget2023KE
????: @SethOlale #ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/54oIpiJE5d — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) June 15, 2023

"Azimio does not believe in this budget. That is why we have walked out. It is not meant for the Kenyan people but for the Kenya Kwanza government. Until we get a budget premised on the Kenyan people, we will not participate," Suna East MP Junet Mohamed echoed.

Embakasi East counterpart Babu Owino stated: “We are walking out because the budget has been fuelled by the illegal Finance Bill which increases the high cost of living.

"The government ignored the plight of poor Kenyans. We will use all the necessary means enshrined in the constitution to stop this Government from suppressing citizens," he vowed.

The lawmakers in protest jeered the CS and chanted songs just seconds after introducing the budget as they proceeded to hold a press conference outside. This is as National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula, called the house to order.

The opposition lawmakers, in between chants of “bado mapambano,” seemingly alluded to being sabotaged, alleging that the Speaker had initially informed them that voting was supposed to take place next week on Tuesday.

The MPs reacted after CS Njuguna Ndung'u revealed that the budget was the first for President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The CS nonetheless continued with his speech unfazed, underscoring that the budget was anchored on the global economic state and Ruto's bottom-up economic model. 

"To improve service delivery and support livelihoods and businesses as well as strengthening governance institutions, the Kenyan Kwanza government established a financial inclusion fund (Hustler Fund) to provide access to affordable credit to individuals and SMEs and encourage saving. This is an intervention that will remain at the bottom of the pyramid

"The government has invested a total of Ksh11 billion which has been revolving within the fund. So far, 16.07 million, of which 7.1 million are repeat customers, have accessed the fund. Ksh30.8 billion has been borrowed from the fund," CS Ndung'u explained.

11 Azimio MPs were not in the House to cast their vote on the controversial Finance Bill 2023 when it came up for the Second Reading, which it sailed through following a 176-81 win by pro-government MPs.

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, revealed to be in Morocco on official business, on his part wondered why communication was not issued for MPs to suspend other engagements ahead of the Finance Bill voting process. 

Other Azimio MPs who were absent from the voting include:

1. Langata MP Jalang’o
2. Mumias East MP Peter Salasya
3. Butere MP Tindi Mwale
4. Butula MP Joseph Oyula
5. Dadaab MP Farah Maalim
6. Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo,
7. Galole MP Hirbae Said
8. Lurambi MP Titus Khamala
9. Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo
10. Matungulu MP Stephen Mule Mutinda
11. Mavoko MP King'ola Patrick Makau