Kenyan activists are urging the public to protest again on Tuesday, dismissing President William Ruto’s appeals for dialogue after he retracted proposed tax hikes. Last week, violent clashes between protesters and police resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people, with parliament briefly stormed and set ablaze.
The protests, primarily driven by young people and organized through social media, initially erupted in response to a finance bill that aimed to raise 346 billion Kenyan shillings ($2.69 billion) in taxes. However, over the past two weeks, the demonstrators’ demands have expanded to include calls for an end to corruption and for President Ruto to step down, posing the most significant challenge to his two-year presidency.
Escalating Tensions
In a Sunday interview with Kenyan television networks, Ruto defended the actions of the police and his government, a stance that seemed to further galvanize the protesters. On Monday, activists distributed pamphlets on social media urging people to occupy Nairobi’s Central Business District, using the hashtag #OccupyCBDTuesday.
Despite the lack of official leadership within the protest movement, tens of thousands of people participated in some of the largest protests the country has seen in recent memory. In audio forums on social media, activists have been discussing strategies to maintain momentum now that the immediate goal of halting the finance bill has been achieved.
In his interview, Ruto reiterated his willingness to engage in dialogue with young people, offering to meet them in forums of their choosing, including the X Spaces where they frequently discuss issues. However, many protesters view these calls for dialogue as attempts to undermine the movement. “You can’t dialogue with someone who is killing you on the other hand,” one activist said during an X-Space discussion over the weekend.
Government’s Response and Future Measures
Ruto defended the police conduct, blaming “criminals” who he claimed had hijacked peaceful protests. He also indicated that the budget shortfall caused by the withdrawal of the proposed tax hikes would be addressed through borrowing, a statement that appears to contradict earlier pledges of austerity measures.
Finance Minister Njuguna Ndung’u later clarified that legal limits on borrowing and the carrying capacity of debt would necessitate expenditure cuts. “So it means that we must have expenditure cuts. This will be known once Parliament approves Supplementary One (budget),” he told Reuters via text message. Kenya’s national debt already exceeds 70% of its gross domestic product, surpassing the statutory limit of 55%.
Following the withdrawal of the finance bill, Ruto has called on lawmakers to pass a supplementary budget. However, with parliament currently in recess, the timeline for these measures remains uncertain.
The continued unrest and the government’s handling of the situation have drawn criticism from various quarters. Activists argue that the government’s response, including the use of force against demonstrators, underscores a deeper crisis of legitimacy and governance.
As the protests show no sign of abating, the coming days will be critical in determining the trajectory of the movement and the government’s response. The activists’ call for continued protests indicates a sustained push for broader political and economic reforms beyond the immediate issue of the finance bill.
Source: ReutersÂ
