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Kenya’s President bows to pressure, withdraws controversial finance bill

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Kenyan President William Ruto, on Wednesday, withdrew proposed tax increases contained in the controversial finance bill 2024 in response to widespread protests.

President Ruto introduced new taxes to bolster state finances and secure additional funding from the International Monetary Fund.

On Tuesday, legislators from his ruling coalition managed to pass the bill after removing some controversial taxes, including a 16% levy on bread.

Although these fiscal reforms have been well-received by the markets, they have incited protests among citizens grappling with escalating food prices and a youth unemployment rate, which the Federation of Kenya Employers estimates to be as high as 67%.

Conceding to the Protesters mostly youths in a televised address, President Ruto said, “Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this finance bill 2024, I concede, and therefore I will not sign this Finance Bill, 2024. and it shall subsequently be withdrawn, I run a government but I also lead people. And the people have spoken.”

The Kenyan leader further proposed talks to include youths and other stakeholders in the country while promising austerity measures including slashing the cost of running government and other public expenditures.

He said, “I propose an engagement with young people of our nation to listen to their issues and agree with them on their priority areas of concern. I also propose that within the next 14 days, a multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement be held with a view to charting the way forward.”

President Ruto had a day earlier promised to clamp down on criminals who had infiltrated the peaceful protest by inviting the Kenyan Defence Force to help quell the protest.

The Ruto administration has been raising tax rates and implementing strategies to decrease Kenya’s dependency on borrowing, aligning with fiscal reforms agreed upon with the IMF in 2021.The Finance Bill aimed to generate an additional 302 billion shillings ($2.3 billion) in revenue, intended to help cover a budget deficit that equals 3.3% of the gross domestic product.

On Tuesday, after lawmakers approved new tax measures and forwarded them to the president, police fired on crowds gathered around the parliament. Protesters later entered the senate chamber and national assembly just minutes after the vote.

According to the Kenya Medical Association on Wednesday, at least 23 people were killed nationwide, and another 30 were treated for bullet wounds.

Medical officials in Nairobi reported numerous injuries. The majority of the demonstrators are young Kenyans in their 20s and 30s, coordinating their efforts through social media platforms.

Following President Ruto’s statement, Kenya’s 2031-dollar bonds bounced back from earlier losses and traded slightly stronger on the day, with the yield standing at 10.67% according to Bloomberg data.

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Two rescued as building under construction collapses in Abuja

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The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) says two people have been rescued from a collapsed building in Abuja.

In a statement on Saturday, Florence Wenegieme, FEMD acting director-general, said the building collapsed on Friday evening.

Wenegieme said the collapsed building was a duplex under construction located at Close 10, Drive 5, second gate of Prince and Princess Estate, Gudu District.

She said FEMD alerted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the FCT fire service immediately after it received a distress call about the incident.

The FEMD acting director-general said the construction workers ran out of the building when they noticed that building was going to collapse.

She added that the two people rescued were in a detached bungalow behind the building when the incident happened.

“The trapped workers were rescued by the FEMD search and rescue team, who cut through the window protectors and pulled them out,” she said.

Emphasising construction safety, Wenegieme urged developers and homeowners to prioritize following building codes, including professional assessments of existing buildings before renovations begin and proper safety gear for workers.

She also called for insurance coverage for both the building and the workers.

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One dies in Third Mainland Bridge accident

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One person was confirmed dead in an accident that occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday morning.

The accident involved a mini truck (MUS 489 XS) and a Toyota Camry (KRD 470 JD).

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was caused by excessive speeding during a downpour this morning,” the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said in a statement.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, in the statement signed by Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, said that three others were rescued at the accident scene.

He said that operatives of LASTMA responded swiftly to the accident, which occured near the Unilag waterfront, heading towards the Iyana-Oworonsoki area of Lagos.

Giwa said that despite the government’s ongoing campaign to educate motorists about speed limits, drivers continued to flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

He urged both commercial bus drivers and private car owners to avoid exceeding speed limits on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads throughout the state.

Giwa said that the deceased was promptly removed by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) officials, while LASTMA cleared the accident vehicles to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.

He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of road safety.

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Turkey deports 103 Nigerians over expired visas, irregular migration

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Turkey has deported 103 Nigerians over migration-related issues.

Catherine Udida, director of migration affairs, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), received the deportees at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Friday.

Udida, who was represented by Tijani Ahmed, federal commissioner, NCFRMI, said the commission expected 110 deportees but received 103.

“Some of them have been in the deportation camp for some months, and now that they are here, we are hoping to follow up on all the allegations gathered in their profiling,” Udida said.

The director said some of the deportees alleged that their passports were seized.

“We are going to follow up with the Turkish authority because the passports are still the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Udida said.

Arinze Stone, a deportee, said Turkish authorities arrested and detained him in a camp for about six months.

Stone said despite living in Turkey for some years, officials frustrated his resident permit renewal after the European Union (EU) started paying the Middle Eastern country for illegal immigrants.

“Each day, the European Union pays 120 euros per head of immigrants in the immigration camp,” NAN quoted Stone as saying.

“Ever since I had been in Turkey, I always had my resident permit renewed.

“It just got expired and the Turkish authority collected 700 euros from me for tax and insurance and then cancelled the renewal.”

Moses Emeh, who said he was arrested and put in a dungeon for 11 months and three weeks, alleged the same treatment.

“I was told that if I did not sign the deportation documents, I would have to stay in their custody for one year to two years, after which I could be released and given immigration documents to sign, then be reintegrated into the system. But, they never fulfilled that,” said Emeh who has a registered company in Turkey.

“I also know that occupying a territory without a permit is a crime, but mine was forcibly terminated twice, and I took the case to court. Since my case was already in court and the court was yet to preside over my case, I don’t think it is right for them to deport me.”

Bashir Garga, the north-central zonal coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), assured the returnees of the government’s readiness to support them through collaborative efforts of all relevant agencies.

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