Even though President William Ruto has made efforts to appease the anti-government demonstrators, they have returned to the streets and are calling for Ruto’s resignation with renewed vigor. According to the BBC, security personnel opened fire on protesters on the outskirts of Nairobi, killing one of them. This unfortunate tragedy is a result of the turmoil.
As police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, shops in the center of Nairobi locked their doors. Last month, President Ruto withdrew a controversial tax package that had sparked the first wave of protests. Many protestors have died as a consequence of police brutality, but the protests have broadened into an outcry against bad leadership, widespread corruption, and other issues.
To try to calm the protests last week, President Ruto accepted the resignation of the police chief, fired his whole government, and called for discussion. These steps have not stopped the protest movement, which is being led by young Kenyans on social media, from continuing to call for the president’s resignation.
Protesters in Kitengela, an outskirt of Nairobi, displayed a stunning act of defiance when they brought the body of the murdered protestor to a police station close by. They violently clashed with the police while chanting slogans like “Ruto must go,” setting fires and throwing stones. Cities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyeri have also experienced similar chaotic scenes.
While covering the demonstrations in Nakuru, a journalist from the K24 television station was shot and wounded. The newscaster took a blow to the thigh and went to the hospital.
Protests have broken out in around half of the 47 counties in Kenya, as reported by the Daily Nation. On June 25th, demonstrators attacked the parliamentary complex and set portions of it on fire, leading to the dramatic scene that resulted in the withdrawal of the tax measure.
According to the state-funded human rights organization, 413 people were hurt in the protests, and the death toll has increased to at least 50. Based on credible evidence, the acting police chief issued a warning on Tuesday that criminal organizations planned to infiltrate the demonstrations and cause chaos. He begged the protesters to keep quiet and work with the police to make sure everyone was safe.
The Ford Foundation, based in the United States, has refuted President Ruto’s accusation that it gave funding for the demonstrations. The Ford Foundation issued a statement denying any involvement with the current protests over the budget measure.
How the government reacts and how determined the demonstrators are will determine the future of Kenya’s politics as long as the situation there is unstable. There is an immediate need for responsible leadership and transparency, and the rising discontent shows that people are very frustrated.
