On Tuesday, riot police used tear gas and charged at protestors who replied by throwing stones, prompting violent clashes throughout Kenya. Since at least twenty protestors died last week, the unrest has been at its worst, as seen by the confrontations. The initial joyous tone of the protests soon gave way to hostilities between the police and protestors, especially in Nairobi’s business area.
The countrywide disturbances, which marked a dramatic increase in violence since the previous wave of violence a week earlier that left at least twenty-six dead, began in a positive spirit but quickly slid out of control. Police pushed forward on demonstrators in Nairobi’s busy business center while wearing helmets and brandishing wooden clubs and shields. The air was heavy with tear gas during the conflict, and the noise of the canisters bursting among the people broke up the commotion.
A street corner kiosk was set on fire, creating a chaotic scene. A young demonstrator who was lying on the pavement with a bloodied hand was being attended to by nearby doctors, serving as a harsh reminder of the brutality of the day. Desperately responding, cops were observed forcing young people into the back of a pickup truck—a scene that has all too often occurred in these unsettling times.
Protests spread beyond the nation’s capital. There was a noticeable commotion in Mombasa, the second-biggest city in Kenya. The streets echoed with the protesters’ cries of “Ruto must go!” as they marched holding palm fronds. They demonstrated their resolve with synchronized drumming and plastic horn blowing. But the
President Ruto’s attempts at communication have been sharply rejected by this emerging protest movement, which lacks a leader and is primarily coordinated via social media. This rejection occurs even after he withdrew his support for the tax increases that were first suggested and caused the discontent. “The only topic he can discuss is money while people are dying in the streets. We are not currency. A Mombasa protester named Milan Waudo summed up the general feeling of the demonstrations when he said, “We are people, human beings.”
A picture of a country unified in disagreement has been painted by the protests, which have moved to other cities like Kisumu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Migori, Mlolongo, and Rongo. Demonstrators in Migori, in the southwest of the country, demonstrated their resistance by lighting tires on fire to represent their unwavering position.
In the midst of these protests, activists have charged that the government is using infiltrators to create division and undermine the cause. Protesters have been urged to disperse in order to prevent more violence as a result of this accusation. “Very nice folks. Come with me home. Renowned campaigner Boniface Mwangi beseeched, showing a tired resignation to the day’s events, “As usual the government has allowed gangsters take control, plunder, and destroy property again.”
39 Kenyans have died in conflicts since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR), which highlights the seriousness of the situation. The most serious of these instances happened on June 25th, close to parliament, when demonstrators had gathered to stop a vote on the divisive tax increases.
In Nairobi, activists remain resolute. “We are determined to push for the president’s resignation,” stated Ojango Omondi, an activist, echoing a widespread desire for substantial political change. The government, for its part, has called for peace. “It’s a beautiful day to choose patriotism, peace, order, and the sanctity of our nationhood,” urged Gerald Bitok, State House communications director.
Opposition figures, including Raila Odinga, the perennial presidential runner-up, have lent their support to the protesters, despite calls from the movement for politicians to remain on the sidelines. “The youth have given our country its last best chance,” declared Odinga’s party, highlighting the critical crossroads at which Kenya finds itself.
The protests initially triggered by a proposed finance bill that would have increased taxes by nearly $2.7 billion, have morphed into a broader movement against corruption and poor governance. Despite withdrawing the tax proposals, President Ruto has suggested further borrowing and spending cuts as remedies, actions that have done little to subdue the public’s uproar.
John Githongo, a seasoned anti-corruption campaigner, has voiced doubts about the president’s willingness to fulfill the demonstrators’ requests, which include the firing of dishonest officials. He emphasized the ongoing divide between the people and their administration, saying, “There has not been any sign by the government that they are going to take the calls to deal with corruption seriously.”
The events of June 25, when protestors temporarily stormed parliament and set part of it on fire loom large as the protests gain momentum. Police responded to this act with deadly force. Since then, President Ruto has justified the police’s conduct and blamed the violence on criminal groups among the protests, a position that has fanned the flames of discontent among his critics.
