NAIROBI,– At least one person was killed during renewed anti-government protests across Kenya on Tuesday, as police clashed with demonstrators demanding the resignation of President William Ruto. The protests, led predominantly by youth, erupted in response to proposed tax hikes and have persisted despite Ruto’s withdrawal of the legislation and dismissal of nearly all his cabinet members.
Activists are calling for systemic changes to address corruption and poor governance, insisting that Ruto step down. To date, at least 50 people have been killed in the protests, according to the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
In Kitengela, a town on the southern outskirts of Nairobi, police repeatedly fired at hundreds of protesters, some of whom were throwing rocks. Reuters TV footage showed protesters burning tires, waving Kenyan flags, and chanting “Ruto must go!” A Reuters reporter saw the body of one protester with a head wound, but the national police spokesperson declined to comment.
The Interior Ministry did not directly address Tuesday’s events but stated that security agencies were instructed to exercise restraint. Despite this, Tuesday’s demonstrations were among the largest since Ruto withdrew the tax increases on June 26. The Nation newspaper reported protests in at least 23 of Kenya’s 47 counties.
In Nairobi’s city center, riot police fired tear gas at several dozen protesters, and medics were seen carrying away an injured person on a stretcher. In Nakuru, a journalist was injured, with television footage showing her bleeding from her thigh. Activist Njeri Wa Migwi, protesting in downtown Nairobi, said the demonstration was peaceful until police started firing tear gas.
“Today feels very insidious. It was like the police were out to get us,” she said.
The protests have intensified the biggest crisis of Ruto’s two-year tenure. With Kenya spending over 30% of its revenues on debt interest payments, Ruto is caught between lenders’ demands to cut deficits and a population struggling with rising living costs.
“Ruto is very incompetent,” said a protester in Nairobi. “The guy is a puppet to the IMF.” Young Kenyan protesters have heavily criticized the International Monetary Fund (IMF), accusing it of driving the proposed tax hikes. The IMF stated that its lending programs aim to help Kenya overcome economic challenges and improve its people’s well-being.
Ruto’s office announced “multi-sectoral” talks for this week to address grievances, but there was no sign they had begun. Leading activists behind the protests have rejected the invitation, calling for immediate action on issues like corruption. Ruto’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The protests, which began peacefully, turned violent with some demonstrators briefly storming parliament on June 25. Police responded with gunfire. In addition to the 50 deaths, 413 people have been injured, 682 arbitrarily detained, and 59 abducted or are missing, according to KNCHR.
Ruto has promised to investigate abuse accusations but has broadly defended police conduct. Last week, he accepted the resignation of the national police chief, a move also demanded by protesters.
On Monday, Ruto accused the Ford Foundation, an American philanthropic organization, of sponsoring those causing “violence and mayhem” in Kenya, without providing evidence. The Ford Foundation denied the allegation, stating it does not fund or sponsor protests and maintains a strictly non-partisan policy for its grant-making.
Source: Reuters