Kenya: demonstrators back on the streets despite the withdrawal of the draft budget
Kenyans are preparing to take to the streets on Thursday for a white march the day after President William Ruto announced the withdrawal of the draft budget providing for tax increases, at the origin of a protest which foundered in murderous violence.
This unprecedented youth-led protest movement, which swept the country in less than two weeks and took power by surprise, emerged shortly after the 2024-2025 budget was presented to Parliament on June 13, which included a 16% VAT on bread and an annual tax of 2.5% on private vehicles.
If previous days of mobilization demanding the withdrawal of these new taxes took place calmly, Tuesday’s demonstration near the complex housing the National Assembly and the Senate, some buildings of which were set on fire and ransacked, turned into a disaster. of blood.
According to several NGOs, the police fired live ammunition to try to contain the crowd which forced security barriers to enter the complex, an attack unprecedented in the history of the independent country since 1963.
According to the Kenyan human rights body (KNHRC), 22 people were killed, including 19 in the capital Nairobi, and more than 300 injured.
– “Too late” –
President Ruto, who on Tuesday evening said he wanted to firmly repress “violence and anarchy”, finally announced on Wednesday the withdrawal of the draft budget and said he wanted a national consultation with young people.
“Having listened carefully to the people of Kenya, who have said loud and clear that they want nothing to do with this 2024 Finance Bill, I bow my head and will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill into law, which will therefore be withdrawn,” he said in a speech to the nation.
An announcement immediately described as a “com operation” by a figure in the protest movement, the journalist and activist Hanifa Adan, who had earlier called for a “peaceful” white march in memory of the victims on Thursday.
Nelly, 26, told AFP he wanted to join this march, judging the withdrawal of the budget project announced by the president “too weak, too late”. “He could have done it sooner without people dying,” she said.
“We will march for a better future in Kenya,” she added.
The president of the Kenya Medical Association, Simon Kigondu, said he had never before seen “this level of violence against unarmed people”.
An official at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, the country’s main hospital, told AFP on Wednesday that they had received “160 people (…) some with superficial wounds, others with gunshot wounds”.
– Debt –
Near the parliament building, the road still bore traces of blood on Wednesday, and the smell of tear gas hung in the air.
Human rights defenders have also accused the authorities of kidnapping demonstrators. The police did not respond to requests from AFP on the subject.
The spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres demanded on Wednesday that responsibilities be “clearly” established after the death of the demonstrators.
The government, which had argued that the taxes were necessary to give the heavily indebted country some room for maneuver, announced on June 18 that it was withdrawing most of the measures. But the demonstrators demanded the complete withdrawal of the text.
“How can we manage our debt situation together?” asked William Ruto after capitulating on the draft budget.
He was particularly concerned about a significant hole in funding for programs for farmers and teachers.
The country’s public debt amounts to around 10,000 billion shillings (71 billion euros), or around 70% of GDP. The 2024-25 budget provided for 4,000 billion shillings (29 billion euros) in spending, a record.
Kenya, one of East Africa’s fastest growing economies, recorded year-on-year inflation of 5.1% in May, with food and fuel prices rising by 6.2% respectively. % and 7.8%, according to the Central Bank.
Do you have a real estate project in mind? Yakeey & Médias24 help you make it happen!
