Dagoretti North Member of Parliament Beatrice Elachi has urged Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga to stop speaking for Kenyans on the Finance Bill 2023.
Speaking during an interview on NTV, she said that Raila cannot bear the burden of censuring the government alone and everyone who stands against the proposals made in the bill should also ‘take the streets’.
Elachi defended her party leader, arguing that he has played his part in fighting for the nation’s democracy and its due time Kenyans also contribute their part.
“Raila has done everything since the 90s to see Kenya where it is today… if young people feel this is very painful to them, they should come out to the streets, not the former Prime Minister,” she said.
The legislator went on to urge Kenyans to be bold in voicing their demands and instead not tag behind prominent leaders.
“You have to stand where you feel you are being pinched not people doing it for you and you are seated there saying you are working and you cannot come out. In fact, you are the one on a payslip,” noted Elachi.
Elachi also urged President William Ruto to allow MPs to modify the controversial Finance Bill 2023-24 to suit the demands of Kenyans.
She said that the President should allow the Bill to be tweaked to ensure all concerns raised by Kenyans are addressed.
“I want to tell my President in a humble way… allow Parliament to build a Finance Bill that will take care of what you want but also appreciate that Kenyans have also cried and they have brought in memorandum we must acknowledge them,” she said.
Weighing in on the contentious bill, Elachi noted that the National Assembly will be careful to scrutinize it once it is presented on the floor for debate.
“There are good issues in [it] and we have read it in a group because I wanted to understand but there are things that are going to be so painful for Kenyans,” she said.
“We will agree with them on some of the things, moderate some of the things for Kenyans, but we must have to agree that we must stand to build our country.”
