A petition seeking to block Treasury Cabinet Secretary from entering into any agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the budget process without Parliament’s approval has been withdrawn.
The High Court allowed the withdrawal after lawyer Kibe Mungai, representing the petitioners, informed Justice Lawrence Mugambi that they were withdrawing the case with a caveat that they might return to court in May this year.
“The oral application to withdraw the petition is allowed, file is closed, and there will be no orders to cost,” ruled Justice Mugambi.
The petition, filed by 20 lawyers and activists, argued that any agreement with the IMF should receive approval from both houses of Parliament and be supported by at least 50 percent of all MPs.
The group contended that the IMF’s influence had compromised Kenya’s budget-making process, allowing foreign entities to dictate policy at the expense of the country’s sovereignty in public finance matters.
They also wanted the court to address the legal, political, and policy disputes surrounding the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024, before Parliament considers President William Ruto’s Memorandum, which was sent to the National Assembly after he declined to assent to the bill.
