Protests by Kenya’s Generation Z movement against the brutal austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund and implemented by the government of President William Ruto, are continuing throughout the country, into a second week. Demonstrations in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyeri, which started peacefully, have turned violent after the deployment of heavily armed security forces and “anti-protesters.” Tuesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 4 have been declared public holidays by the demonstrators for an “Occupy Everywhere” movement. They have called on all Kenyans to stage sit-down protests on major roads on those days. A trending leaflet under the hashtag “RutoMustGo” summed up the sentiment, insisting, “We will not relent until William Ruto unconditionally resigns,” reported France’s AFP.
Protests are further straining the relationship between Ruto and his Deputy President Rigathy Gachagua, further adding to his isolation. The Star reports that Ruto may be forced to fire a dozen or more of his cabinet and bring in “seasoned politicians to stabilize the government.” This may actually work against him, as these positions are often handed out as “rewards” to local pols in return for swaying some constituencies during the campaign—meaning Ruto may lose more domestic support as a result. Digital news group Tuko, which caters to youth, featured a headline today that Gachagua had to “argue with his sons” to get them to vote for Ruto, even back in 2022.
Yesterday, the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said that 39 people had been killed and 361 injured during two weeks of demonstrations, and it condemned the use of force against protesters as “excessive and disproportionate.” The commission also said that there had been 32 cases of “enforced or involuntary disappearances” and 627 protesters were arrested.
