- Thousands of Kenyans have gone to the streets for the third week to display their discontent over the degrading economy under President Ruto’s administration.
- The youthful generation dubbed Gen Z’s is calling for prompt actions by the government to address their grievances as they vow to continue demonstrating and picketing despite police brutality.
- Various caucuses from religious, business, and political inclinations to calm the situation, with no feasible solution seen so far, have made concerted efforts.
- President Ruto had earlier agreed to meet and dialogue with youth following his rescindance to assent to the controversial Finance Bill 2024/2025.
Kenyans have again taken their displeasure to the streets for the third week in a row, with many businesses now left raking into losses following a massive intrusion into markets, shops, and other business centers in various towns.
The by-weekly protests, which have been scheduled to take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays across the country, began as a result of the controversial Finance Bill 2024/2025, which many Kenyans are opposed to but was passed by the lawmakers to finance the FY2024/2025 budget.
Kenyans, both from low-income households and the middle class, were largely affected by the previous Finance Bill 2023 as the prices of basic commodities skyrocketed due to increased taxes on consumer products. The Finance Bill 2024 would have therefore obliterated the already catastrophic economic condition, as explained by experts and felt by Kenyans themselves.
The Finance Bill 2024 was seeking to impose new taxes on basic commodities, including diapers, sanitary towels, sugar, mobile money transfers, bread, imported electronics and cars, and insurance, among others. Kenyans had earlier disowned the bill, claiming that the lawmakers did not collect their views before drafting the bill. Many economic experts have also exuded that the bill is not Kenyan, but the IMF’s fiscal monetary policies due to the loans they’ve pumping into the economy of Kenya.
Despite President Ruto’s action not to sign the bill into law, many Kenyans have continued to express their fatigue toward the government’s slow move to address the prevailing economic menace. Kenyans have therefore been calling the president’s resignation, reshuffling of the cabinet, and, if possible, recalling members of parliament who voted in favor of the controversial bill.
Many lawmakers attributed to the passage of the bill in parliament have also bowed to the pressure. However, a countable number of them have taken their apologies to the social media platforms, as some constituents have designated their homes and businesses as a legitimate target to dethrone their anger.
Amid the peaceful protests in the country, more than 30 people have so far lost their lives as a result of police brutality. Hundreds are still nursing bullet and teargas canister wounds in various healthcare centers as a call for the police to act within the confines of the law continues. Police have also arrested and detained several demonstrators awaiting arraignment to the courts of law in the country. There have been several police abductions targeting those believed to be the sponsors of protests, as Gen Z claims being leaderless.
On Sunday, the president agreed to meet the young demonstrators to dialogue about the way forward as Kenyans’ confidence and trust in him to drive the economy heads down the hill. The Gen Z’s have also accused the president of being untruthful in talks, as none of his campaign promises have so far been delivered.
While accepting to swiftly apply the changes, including defunding the offices of the first and second ladies, Cabinet Assistant Secretaries and taking new strict measures against the convicted corrupt individuals in various government positions, the president called for concerted effort to end looting and criminals engaged in various acts brought to book.
Ruto also warned that failure to sign the bill could take Kenya into another borrowing spree to meet the budget needs, as the bill was seeking to settle several financial loopholes and funding. He stated Kenya will be forced to borrow close to sh1 trillion to fund the Financial Year 2024/2025 budget, alluding that much of the budget goes into resettling debt that is almost maturing. He stated that Kenya do not want default on its maturing debt, as this could pose a ripple effect on possible borrowing in the future
