Politics

Kenya’s Supreme Court overturns 2023 finance law verdict. What this means

Published

2 months ago

October 30, 2024

Following demonstrations that caused President William Ruto to rescind this year’s finance bill, the Supreme Court of Kenya has overturned an appeal court’s ruling declaring the 2023 financial law null and void.

The government primarily uses the finance bills to outline revenue-raising initiatives, and with the repeal of this year’s legislation, Ruto’s administration has been depending on the 2023 finance law to keep collecting taxes.

“We hereby set aside the Court of Appeal’s finding declaring the entire Finance Act 2023 unconstitutional,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling.

Following a spate of protests organised by the opposition last year, the 2023 law was challenged in court after Ruto’s government used it to hike the top personal income tax rate, implement a housing charge, and triple the value-added tax on fuel, among other measures.

After taking power in September 2022, Ruto’s administration attempted to enact a fresh round of tax increases this year, which infuriated many citizens and led to violent riots in June and July that claimed over 60 lives.

Shortly after the national legislature ratified this year’s version of the finance law, Ruto was obliged to withdraw it due to the disturbance, which also caused a delay in the approval of a fresh funding tranche from the International Monetary Fund.

Ruto has maintained that the tax hikes are required to pay off a significant amount of public debt and support development initiatives in Kenya, the largest economy in East Africa.

After Kenya met the goals established by the Fund in a review of its loan program, the executive board of the IMF is scheduled to convene on Wednesday to approve the new payout. The 2023 finance law was ruled unconstitutional by Kenya’s Court of Appeal in July, but the top court stayed the decision until it considered a government appeal.

Related Topics:Appeal Court Featured Kenya

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

4 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

5 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.