NAIROBI, Kenya: The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that 39 people have been killed and 361 injured during recent anti-government protests in Kenya.
These demonstrations, initially triggered by a contentious finance bill aimed at raising 346 billion Kenyan shillings ($2.69 billion) in taxes, have now evolved into broader demands, including calls for President William Ruto to step down and to address corruption.
The protests began as largely peaceful rallies against the tax increases but escalated into violent confrontations last Tuesday when lawmakers passed the finance bill.
The situation intensified as police fired live bullets at protesters, and the parliament complex in central Nairobi was ransacked and partially set ablaze. The KNCHR also reported 32 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances and 627 arrests of protesters during the period from June 18 to July 1.
President Ruto, who took office in September 2022, faces the most significant crisis of his presidency. In a recent interview with Kenyan television networks, Ruto defended the actions of the police and his government, blaming “criminals” for hijacking peaceful protests.
He also reiterated his call for dialogue with young people, offering to meet in forums of their choosing, including X Spaces, a popular platform for discussing issues and strategies.
Despite the president’s calls for dialogue, many protesters remain skeptical, seeing it as an attempt to co-opt the movement. Activists continue to organize and mobilize through social media, with plans to occupy Nairobi’s Central Business District.
The protest movement, lacking official leadership, faces the challenge of maintaining momentum now that the immediate goal of defeating the finance bill has been achieved.
