Withdrawal of Finance Bill will have consequences, Ruto Says

President William Ruto has announced that government offices will be trimmed down to reduce expenditure following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.

In an interview at State House on Sunday, Ruto said the government will be forced to borrow Ksh1 trillion to fund its operations.

He stated that the offices of the First Lady, Second Lady, and Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) will be eliminated starting Monday to scale down government spending.

“I will not lie to the country; withdrawing the finance bill is not going to be easy. Those consequences will start with me by cutting costs and implementing austerity programs to do away with unnecessary offices,” said Ruto.

“Even after Parliament approved the position of CAS, I have not appointed any CAS, and no CAS will be appointed until we have an economy that can support more opportunities,” he added.

According to the President, dropping the finance bill means that the government will not be able to confirm 46,000 JSS teachers or pay off debts owed to sugarcane and coffee farmers.

County governments and the judiciary will also experience budget cuts under the new austerity measures.

Ruto emphasized that the Finance Bill had immense benefits for the country, which will not be realized following its withdrawal.

“The finance bill was going to take Kenya big steps forward, but it’s a sacrifice I have had to make because of the political reality we are in,” he stated.

“If I’m given a chance to explain to Kenyans what was in the finance bill and what it would have done for this country, every Kenyan would have agreed with me.”