Speaker Wetangula Spills the Beans on What He Saw During 2024 Finance Bill Protest in Parliament

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has offered one of the most vivid and troubling accounts yet of what transpired inside Parliament during the violent protests against the Finance Bill 2024.

Speaking about the chaotic scenes that briefly paralysed the House, Wetang’ula revealed that some of the demonstrators who stormed Parliament were not just angry citizens, but individuals armed with dangerous materials, including acid, chemicals, and pocket knives.

According to the Speaker, the moment marked an unprecedented breach of Kenya’s democratic institutions.

Protesters managed to force their way into the parliamentary precincts and even occupied the Speaker’s chair for a short time, a symbolic and physical violation of the authority of the legislature.

For Wetang’ula, this was not merely an act of civil disobedience but a serious security threat that put the lives of Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff, and even the protesters themselves at risk.

The Finance Bill 2024 had sparked widespread anger across the country due to proposed tax increases and new levies that many Kenyans felt would worsen the already high cost of living.

What began as street demonstrations soon escalated into a confrontation between protesters and security forces, eventually spilling into the heart of Parliament.

Wetang’ula’s recollection shows how close the country came to a much more tragic outcome, given the presence of potentially lethal substances and weapons among those who entered the chamber.

Despite the intensity of the moment, the Speaker used his remarks to strike a tone of reconciliation rather than vengeance. He called for unity, tolerance, and respect for constitutional leadership, urging Kenyans to resolve political disagreements through dialogue rather than violence.

In particular, he appealed to his own community and supporters to work together with other groups under the leadership of President William Ruto, arguing that national stability must come before partisan or ethnic divisions.

Moses Wetang’ula’s message reflects a broader concern within the political establishment that Kenya’s culture of protest is drifting toward dangerous extremes.

While the Constitution protects the right to demonstrate, the Speaker warned that when protests cross into armed confrontation and the invasion of protected institutions, they undermine the very democracy protesters claim to defend.