On Tuesday, Kenyans took to the streets once again to protest a recent tax hike, facing a heavy police presence and a significant number of closed businesses across the country.
The renewed demonstrations come after last month’s protests, which had turned violent and resulted in numerous casualties.
In Nairobi’s central business district, the usual hustle and bustle of the area was replaced by a noticeable calm as police officers patrolled the streets.
Local politician John Kwenya voiced his frustration over the situation, saying, “They are scared. I told people to open their businesses, but most have fear, they even moved their goods from the shops.”
Kwenya criticized the business closures as “economic sabotage,” adding, “The last protest wasn’t Gen-Zs, they were goons.”
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The protests were initially sparked by the government’s decision to raise taxes, which led to large-scale demonstrations last month. The violence that ensued resulted in 39 deaths and 361 injuries, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
The commission also condemned the government’s response to the protests as “excessive and disproportionate.”
Despite President William Ruto’s announcement last week that he would not sign the controversial finance bill into law, activists have continued to push for broader changes.
Ruto described the protests as “treasonous” and defended the use of force against demonstrators in a recent television interview.
“I do not have blood on my hands,” Ruto said, while acknowledging that 19 people had died during the clashes.
The KNCHR has also reported 32 cases of “enforced or involuntary disappearances” and 627 arrests related to the protests.
The commission has strongly condemned the violence against protesters, medical personnel, lawyers, journalists, and even places like churches and emergency medical centers.
The protests have spread beyond Nairobi, with larger crowds rallying in the coastal city of Mombasa, and smaller demonstrations taking place in Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyeri. The demonstrations have been largely organized through social media, where young activists have called for more action.
Leaflets circulated online declared Tuesday and Thursday as public holidays for an “OccupyEverywhere” movement, urging people to stage sit-down protests on major roads.
President Ruto had previously defended the tax increases as necessary to manage Kenya’s massive public debt, which stands at about 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), or 70 percent of the country’s GDP.
Ruto warned that “not passing the finance bill would force the government to borrow an additional $7.7 billion.”
Despite Ruto’s decision to drop the tax legislation, critics and activists remain unsatisfied and have vowed to continue their protests.
“We are determined to see this through until our demands are met,” one activist declared.