Mudavadi Slams Court for Suspending Finance Act Implementation

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has faulted the court's ruling on the Finance Act 2023. 

Speaking at a Thanksgiving Ceremony for National Treasury Principal Chris Kiptoo in Elgeyo Marakwet, Mudavadi said there could have been other ways of approaching the issue aside from completely suspending the Act. Mudavadi touted President William Ruto's commitment to revitalizing the nation's economy. He further called on the courts to always consider what would be best for the nation and its people when exercising their mandate. 

“It is true that the Judiciary must be independent but it is also, important that the Judiciary becomes alive to what we call public interest especially when courts are pronouncing themselves on certain key matters. The issue in court is a procedural issue, not even substance in terms of the law but a mere procedural issue. Whoever made this decision, I hope you will reflect because how can a procedural issue supersede public interest." he said. 

The former Finance Minister echoed Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot's position that the case presented by Busia Senator Okiya Omtata was not shared by the entire Senate. Cheruiyot maintained that there was no consensus between the National Assembly and the Senate in passing the Finance Bill.

Other leaders who spoke on the matter asked Kenyans to be patient and give the Kenya Kwanza regime time to place Kenya's economy on the right trajectory. Mudavadi praised Kiptoo’s initiative of reconstructing the Kaptagat Forest Ecosystem which has been depleted. To honour the appointment of Kiptoo and to promote the government's goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, leaders led by President Ruto planted 17,000 trees during the 7th edition of the Kaptagat forest annual tree planting event.