Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has defended Members of Parliament who voted for the controversial Finance Bill 2024, stating that they adhered to party directives and voted for what they believed was in the best interest of the country.
Cherargei highlighted that widespread misinformation about the Bill’s contents had contributed to the public’s animosity toward the legislators. “I beg that the public should not be too harsh on Parliament. I believe there was a lot of misinformation about the Finance Bill because issues like the road maintenance levy and land laws were in separate bills,” said Cherargei during an interview with media.
He emphasized that party discipline played a significant role in the decision-making process. “All parliaments run courtesy of parties. The decision is normally made by the party. I can have a different opinion, but when the party gives a certain direction, we take it,” he added.
The senator also expressed support for the austerity measures announced by President William Ruto during a media roundtable on Sunday, June 30. “I agree with the scrapping of the First Lady’s office, and the offices of the spouses of the Deputy President and Prime Cabinet Secretary. Some governors even had wardrobe allowances for their First Ladies in the first term of devolution,” he noted.
The offices of First Lady Rachel Ruto and the spouse of the Deputy President, Dorcas Rigathi, had been allocated a cumulative sum of Sh1.2 billion in the shelved 2024/2025 budget. Parliament now faces the task of amending laws, including the Appropriations Bill, County Revenue Allocation Act, and the Division of Revenue Act, to align with the current budget.
Cherargei advised against cutting development budgets, arguing that austerity should apply only to non-essential expenditures. He stressed that the nation is at an unexpected inflection point, exacerbated by missed opportunities to address deep-seated issues like corruption and public resource wastage.
Additionally, Cherargei praised young protesters for their engagement in governance and urged them to enter into dialogue with President Ruto.
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