Staff Writer
On Friday, as thousands joined anti-government demonstrations in many towns against a terrible cost-of-living crisis and a slew of contentious tax increases, Kenyan police opened fire with tear gas on the opposition leader Raila Odinga’s motorcade.
According to AFP correspondents, police used tear gas to disperse protestors in Mombasa, a port city on the Indian Ocean, and Kisumu, an opposition stronghold on Lake Victoria, after Odinga spoke at a large gathering in the nation’s capital, Nairobi.
Police were out in full force for the rallies, which were the most recent ones that Odinga had scheduled this year in response to the administration of President William Ruto.
At the rally, Odinga—who narrowly lost the August 2022 election to Ruto—announced plans to gather 10 million signatures in an effort to unseat his bitter rival.
To applause, he declared, “Kenyans elected leaders to parliament and they have betrayed them.” “Ruto himself has betrayed Kenyans by assuming power unlawfully.”
The protests were called for by Odinga’s Azimio alliance due to how the increased levies would affect Kenyans who were already struggling economically and paying skyrocketing costs for basic goods.
A finance bill that Ruto signed into law last week is anticipated to bring in more than $2.1 billion for the government’s depleted coffers and aid in the recovery of the severely indebted economy.
The Finance Act includes a contentious levy on all Kenyans who pay taxes to fund a housing program, as well as new taxes or increases on a number of basic commodities like petrol, food, and mobile money transfers.
Critics claim that Ruto has reneged on the commitments he made during the election campaign, when he positioned himself as the savior of the nation’s poor and promised to raise their standard of living.
The 56-year-old rags-to-riches billionaire has, however, defended the levies, claiming that they will assist lower public borrowing and help create jobs.
The legislation’s execution was put on hold by the high court in Nairobi last Friday after a senator filed a petition contesting its constitutional legitimacy.
Despite the decision, Kenya’s energy regulator later that day announced an increase in pump rates to account for the law’s mandated doubling of VAT to 16 percent.
The main government buildings are located in Nairobi’s central business sector, where police were patrolling on foot, in cars, and on horses. Several routes in the capital were also closed.
“I hope this demonstration will make a difference,” said 24-year-old manual laborer Alex Dwisa to AFP.
I don’t have $10k (10,000 Kenyan shillings/$70) to send my two kids to school since the cost of life is too expensive.
A man in a car equipped with a loudspeaker was urging citizens of Kisumu, Odinga’s stronghold, to turn out.
Baba, as 78-year-old Odinga is called, told us to demonstrate today; come out and join us as we liberate our nation, therefore we must heed his advice.
As they are taking place on the seventh day of the seventh month, the protests have been given the name “Saba Saba” (Seven Seven), which refers to the day in 1990 when the opposition stood up to seek the return of multiparty democracy.
