President’s call to scrap finance bill post-violence leaves demonstrators split on broader goals
Protesters bear a sign with names of those slain during the government’s finance bill protests. The recent movement mobilized thousands onto streets. Photograph: Edwin Ndeke/The Guardian
This weekend, Kenya’s youth-led, without-a-head protest movement stands at a pivotal moment. President William Ruto unexpectedly withdrew a finance bill with proposed tax hikes on Wednesday, even as activists grieve for those lost in the previous day’s brutal unrest.
The recent swell of demonstrators protesting against high living costs, which has disheartened many young people, is unprecedented in Kenya, where elite groups generally lead protests in the past.
Nairobi-based political pundit Herman Manyora noted that the recent episodes have cemented the average citizen’s belief in their power, compelling the government to engage with them on policy matters.
“Governments must appear firm yet flexible enough to embrace citizens’ views,” Manyora commented. “Ruto’s administration is getting this lesson the tough way, conceding under the pressure of Gen Z’s demands.”
While the finance bill might have ignited the unrest, frustrations run deep in a nation where economic expansion hasn’t matched population growth, and Gen Zers—those born from 1997 to 2012—struggle with employment opportunities.
Elected in 2022 with vows to uplift low-income populations and cut living costs, Ruto’s administration has proposed several unpopular financial policies like scrapping fuel and maize flour subsidies, introducing a housing levy, and suggesting a pricier health insurance scheme.
The administration and its backers argue they have no alternative: Kenya facing high debt risk, as noted by the IMF, with over a third of its revenues going towards debt interest. The now-defunct finance bill aimed to channel $2.7bn from taxes to ease this debt load by taxing essentials such as bread, sugar, and boosting levies on diapers, sanitary items, mobile cash transfers, and cars.
Kenyans demanded government accountability, arguing the focus should be on curbing corruption and excesses instead of hiking taxes.
“We’re ready to pay taxes, but we need transparency,” stated Francis Maina, a digital worker who participated in Tuesday’s protest.
Opposition to the tax bill took off online, with young Kenyans leveraging X, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms to express grievances, crowdfund, and organize on-the-ground protests. Multilingual videos explaining the bill allowed the movement to bridge ethnic divides.
The first significant street protest occurred on 18 June under the social media banner #RejectFinanceBill2024. Legislators, in response, amended the bill to remove some tax hikes, yet the changes fell short. On 20 June, protests spread nationwide, resulting in one death, over 200 injuries, and reports of detentions by security forces.
The violent crackdown and disappearances ignited protester determination, escalating into Tuesday’s events where some stormed parliament and government buildings, incinerating parts of them. At least 23 were killed by police deploying live ammo and teargas, according to the Kenya Medical Association.
A day later, Ruto retracted the bill and vaguely offered a dialogue. This move fractured the protestors: an X Spaces discussion with over 80,000 participants on Wednesday night displayed sharp differences on whether to proceed with a planned march to Ruto’s residence on Thursday. Ultimately, the march didn’t take place. Smaller-scale protests happened in several cities, less extensive than Tuesday’s.
Anna Otieno, 21, who demonstrated in Nairobi on Thursday, said her outrage over the previous week’s violence spurred her. “We’re verging on dictatorship,” she remarked. “We can’t even voice our rights peacefully.”
Both online and on the streets, protestors’ demands have shifted to seeking justice for the slain, the release of detainees, and Ruto’s resignation.
“They’ve killed us. They can’t lead us. That’s our stance,” claimed lawyer Albert Otieno during Thursday’s protest in Nairobi.
The movement now faces the challenge of maintaining unity and momentum while chasing broader objectives.
Christine Odera, co-chair of the Kenya Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, emphasized the need for structural organization to progress young people’s interests and engage with the government. “Proceeding organically risks losing the discussion,” she said. “The president calls for talks; we can’t all congregate in a stadium for that.”
Others dissent. Ojango Omondi, part of the Social Justice Centres Working Group, a community activist organization in Nairobi’s impoverished areas, warned that creating structures and national reps could lead to political corruption.
“We don’t need negotiations,” he stated. “We just want better living conditions. Leaders must stop squandering resources for their luxury.”
Reuters contributed to this report
