Kenya African National Union (KANU) chairman Gideon Moi has condemned the abduction of youths following the ongoing anti-Finance Bill protests.

The protests, which began last weekend, have seen a rise in abductions, with Leslie Muturi, son of Attorney General Justin Muturi, and Austin Omondi among those taken away and later released.

Moi described the abductions as violent and troubling, asserting that they violated the rule of law.

"The emerging pattern where young people are being violently abducted on account of engineering the protests against the Finance Bill, 2024 is deeply troubling and warrants unequivocal condemnation. We are a country of the rule of law and not that of the rule of men," Moi stated on his X account.

He insisted that those suspected of crimes should be arrested and presented in court as required by law.

"If anyone is suspected of having committed any crime, they must be arrested in accordance with the law and be produced in a court of competent jurisdiction," he added.

Moi, the son of Kenya's second president, reiterated his rejection of the Finance Bill and criticized the government's approach to dealing with youth protests.

He warned against viewing the youth, who are airing their grievances, as enemies while they suffer due to harsh economic conditions.

"An attempt to suppress the voices of those who bear the brunt of over-taxation, unresponsive economic policies, and lack of accountability on the part of the government through unlawful tactics is unacceptable. We reject the Finance Bill, urge the government to prioritize industrialization over taxation, and stop viewing the young people with grievances as the enemies, yet they are victims of harsh economic policies," he warned.

Last week, Moi called on the National Assembly to reject the Finance Bill 2024 in its entirety, arguing that Kenya's core issue lies in its expenditure rather than its revenue.

He contended that increasing taxes to address budget deficits places an unnecessary burden on the populace.

He also noted that despite the removal of several unpopular clauses from the bill, it still contains punitive measures.

Reflecting on the previous year, Moi pointed out that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) fell short of its projected revenue despite measures in the Finance Bill 2023.

KANU Chairman addresses party officials at Kabarak in Nakuru in December 2022. PHOTO/@MoiGideon)/X

Moi urged the government to focus on industrialization over taxation to expand the tax base, stating that this approach would be more beneficial for the country.