On Tuesday, protests erupted in Nairobi outside the parliament building with thousands coming to participate, after new tax proposals were introduced in the annual budget legislation. The demonstrations led to the burning of a part of the building, and sent lawmakers fleeing the area through underground tunnels. Police ended up firing at demonstrators after the use of tear gas and water cannons failed to disperse the crowd. According to the Kenyan Medical Association, five protestors are reported to have been killed, with at 31 were wounded and injured
Background of the Protests in Kenya
This is perhaps the first direct assault against the government in decades. President William Ruto, whose administration introduced the proposals, said: “Today’s events mark a critical turning point on how we respond to threats to our national security.” He added that the protests were “treasonous” and vowed to clap down on the unrest “at whatever cost”. Following COVID19, the war in Ukraine, and two consecutive years of intense drought and depreciation of currency, Kenyans have been undergoing an intense financial setback. Two years ago, Ruto won the election and attained presidency by campaigning as a champion for the working poor, but has failed to follow through on his promises as he finds himself stuck between the demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund.
The finance bill aims to raise $2.7 billion in taxes to take away some of Kenya’s debt load, with interest payments alone consuming 37% of annual revenue. The bill which had been authored by Ruto’s administration had been approved by the Parliament, and was sent to the legislation to have it signed by the President.
Reactions to the Protests
The violence that has erupted in Nairobi has become a cause of concern not just domestically, but amongst the international community. Washington claims that they are closely monitoring the situation, and urges calm. In a joint statement, ambassadors from countries like the US, Britain, and Germany said that they were worried about the violence and called for restraint from both sides. Meanwhile in Nairobi, opposition calls for President Ruto to step down from office. “Ruto must go, Ruto must resign, he must do the honorable thing,” said senior opposition leader Eugene Wamalwa on TV. Another opposition leader Raila Odinga, also called for the immediate withdrawal of the new taxation policies, claiming that the sudden eruption of violence, detention, and surveillance being perpetrated by police would not make way for the much needed dialogue the youth demands for. In response to the protests, the government said it would make concessions, promising to scrap the new policies on goods like bread, cooking oil, financial transactions etc. However, the finance ministry claims that the concessions would blow a $1.56 billion hole in the 2024-25 budget, forcing the government to make spending cuts and raising taxes elsewhere.
Tear Gas on Activist Auma Obama
In an interview with CCN, activist Auma Obama amidst tear gas and violence said, “I’m here because – look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They’re demonstrating with flags and banners. I can’t even see anymore.” She adds, “We are being tear gassed.” A man behind Auma carried a sign saying “Colonialism never ended in Kenya”. Former U.S President Barack Obama had no immediate comments on the matter.
