[File, Standard]

The National Assembly has adopted the Finance Bill 2024 with proposed amendments.

MPs hurriedly voted for individual clauses in a record two-hour session.

The voting for third reading and final stage is currently underway.

Speaker Moses Wetangula has directed lawmakers to use a microphone when voting, after Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed requested that votes be made public and loud.

Earlier, Azimio allied MPs withdrew amendments of the proposed Finance Bill, after wide consultation during a Parliamentary Group meeting.

Wetangula notified that the Azimio MPs had unanimously agreed to reject the Bill entirely.

Chants of “Reject the Bill” filled the air earlier as the speaker struggled to bring the House to order.

There was drama momentarily as Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir held a placard inscribed 'We must reject Finance Bill 2024'.

He would later be ejected from the chambers. Chair Gladys Shollei stated that Shabbir was out of order, and cannot picket in parliament.

This comes in the back of countrywide protests against the proposed Finance Bill 2024.

Demonstrators have occupied streets in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu and Kakamega and several other towns leading to a paralysis in transport services and closure of businesses in some instances.

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