Dozens of Kenyans took to the streets on Tuesday under a heavy police presence, with many shops shuttered as youth activists called for fresh protests. These protests followed last month’s anti-tax hike demonstrations that descended into deadly violence. Activists have escalated their campaign against President William Ruto despite his announcement last week that he would not sign into law a controversial finance bill, which he had blamed for the “treasonous” protests. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) issued a statement on Monday, reporting 39 fatalities and 361 injuries during the two weeks of demonstrations. They condemned the use of force against protesters, deeming it “excessive and disproportionate.”
On Tuesday morning, Nairobi’s central business district, the epicenter of previous rallies, was quiet. Police patrolled the area, and few people were visible on the streets. Local politician John Kwenya expressed frustration over the closure of businesses, telling AFP that there was “no alarm” despite looting incidents on Thursday. “They are scared. I told people to open their businesses, but most have fear, they even moved their goods from the shops,” he stated. Kwenya described the situation as “economic sabotage” and accused those responsible for the Thursday rally of being “goons,” not Gen-Zs as they had been portrayed.
However, Kenyan television showed larger crowds marching in Mombasa, a coastal opposition stronghold. Smaller rallies, accompanied by a heavy police presence, were also observed in Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyeri. The protests were marked by the hashtag “#RutoMustGo.”
Largely peaceful rallies against tax increases, primarily led by Gen-Z Kenyans on social media, plunged into deadly chaos last Tuesday when lawmakers passed the unpopular legislation. Following the vote announcement, crowds ransacked the parliament complex in central Nairobi, setting it partly ablaze. Police responded by firing live bullets at protesters. Ruto claimed in a Sunday television interview that 19 people had lost their lives during the unrest. He defended his decision to deploy armed forces to quell the violence, insisting he did not have “blood on my hands.”
This marks the most serious crisis to confront the president since his assumption of office in September 2022 following a deeply divisive election. Kenya has often been considered a beacon of stability in a turbulent region. Ruto’s decision on Wednesday to reverse course and scrap the tax legislation appears to have failed to appease his critics. Despite stating his readiness to engage with young Kenyans about their grievances, activists have vowed to continue protesting. Leaflets circulated on social media have called for further action this week, demanding Ruto’s unconditional resignation. One leaflet with the hashtag “RutoMustGo” declared Tuesday and Thursday public holidays for an “Occupy Everywhere” movement, urging all Kenyans to stage sit-down protests on major roads during those days.
The state-funded KNCHR reported on Monday that, in addition to the fatalities and injuries, there have been 32 cases of “enforced or involuntary disappearances” and 627 arrests of protesters. The commission strongly condemned the “unwarranted violence and force” inflicted on protesters, medical personnel, lawyers, journalists, and safe spaces such as churches, medical emergency centers, and ambulances.
Kenya’s cash-strapped government previously justified the tax increases as necessary to replenish its coffers and service a massive public debt of approximately 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), equivalent to about 70 percent of GDP. In Sunday’s interview, Ruto warned that the government would need to borrow an additional $7.7 billion due to the decision to abandon the finance bill.
