Protestors arrested as they marched to commemorate the 1st month anniversary of the June 25 shootings during demonstrations against government proposed tax hikes in Nairobi on July 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

The story so far: On June 25, protests turned violent in Kenya when lawmakers passed a controversial financial Bill. Although President William Ruto withdrew the Bill the next day, protests continued. According to the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHRC), over 50 people have been killed and 628 were arrested in the violence.

What did the Bill entail?

The Bill was introduced in May and imposed a 16% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on bread, 25% excise duty on cooking oil, 5% tax on digital monetary transactions, an annual 2.5% tax on vehicles, an eco-tax on plastic goods, a 16% tax on goods and services for the construction and equipping of specialised hospitals and an increase in import tax from two to three per cent. The government dropped a few of them after the initial round of protests. The state’s larger objective is to collect $2.7 billion in taxes to pay off the debt of $80 billion, which is 68% of Kenya’s GDP. The Bill caused public distress due to the increasing cost of living.

Why are protests continuing?

Mr. Ruto withdrew the controversial Bill on June 26 following country-wide violent protests, and when his use of force and the death of the protesters drew global criticism. The protest has since then expanded on its causes, demands, geography and intensity.

The protests were an expression of long-standing discontent over Mr. Ruto’s administration and financial management. For example, a month after coming to power, Mr. Ruto scrapped fuel subsidies. The July 2023 protests against another Bill, which introduced a 5% housing levy and a 16% tax on petroleum products, killed 23 people. And thus, the initial intentions behind the protests diverted after the President withdrew the Bill as the use of force, live ammunition and deaths angered the protesters. The second phase of protests was against police brutality. By the third week, it had evolved into anti-government protests over unaddressed public grievances, corruption, mis-governance, and a demand for Mr. Ruto’s resignation.

Moreover, the immediate success of the protests encouraged Kenyans to join the masses against all public grievances. Mr. Ruto came to power in September 2022 promising to address unemployment and poverty. However, he failed to maintain the popularity he received during the elections. The trading economics website recorded Kenya’s inflation rate at 5.1% in May. The World Bank reported that although Kenya is one of the most developing countries in Africa, a third of its 52 million people live in poverty and that 5.7% of the labour force is unemployed, which is the highest in East Africa.

According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2023, Kenya ranks 126 out of 180.

What next?

Mr. Ruto sacked his cabinet and announced a new one on July 19. While the inclusion of four opposition figures into the cabinet might hold the opposition party from joining the protests, it is less likely to slow down the protests. While the country plunges into a debt crisis, any further financial reforms in the near future would trigger a similar response, implying that Mr. Ruto’s administration is in crisis.

Several other African countries are also vulnerable to similar instabilities due to the debt crisis. According to the World Bank, nine African countries face a debt crisis in 2024, and 15 among them are at risk of distress. They depend on regular borrowing, doubling the total debt. The debt burden often forces the governments to either increase the taxes or wait for a debt reconstruction.

However, the Kenyan protests have influenced the African youth and their potential to mobilise the masses. Ugandan youth have followed Kenya, protesting against corruption on July 23. Several other illiberal democracies in Africa are likely to follow Kenya and Uganda. Chosen the same method, protests would trigger violence across the region.

The author is a Research Associate with Africa Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

Protesters scatter as Kenya police sprays water cannon at them during a protest over proposed tax hikes in a finance bill in downtown Nairobi, Kenya on June 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

The Indian High Commission in Kenya on June 25 advised Indian nationals to exercise “utmost caution” in view of prevailing “tense” situation arising out of violent protests in the African nation.

Kenya’s capital Nairobi and other cities across the country witnessed violent clashes and demonstrations after Kenyan Parliament passed a controversial bill that proposed to increase taxes.

“In view of the prevailing tense situation, all Indians in Kenya are advised to exercise utmost caution, restrict non-essential movement and avoid the areas affected by the protests and violence till the situation clears up,” the Indian High Commission said in an advisory.

The Indian mission also advised the Indian nationals to follow local news and Mission’s website and social media handles for updates.

This comes as the protests against proposed tax hikes in Kenya are the target of widespread protests, which are expected to culminate in a “total shutdown” of the nation. The people in the country have been organising rallies under the title of “7 Days of Rage” in response to the Finance Bill 2024, which has generated additional days of unrest around the country, reported CNN.

Around 20,000 Indians are currently living in Kenya, according to an official estimate.

Violent protests

Meanwhile, amid raging protests, Auma Obama, the half-sister of former U.S. President Barack Obama, was teargassed live on air on June 25, CNN reported.

The incident occurred when Auma Obama, who is a Kenyan-British activist, was in a chat with CNN‘s Larry Madowo with a group of teenage protestors. “I can’t even see anymore, we’re being teargassed,” she said. The demonstrations coincide with Kenya’s rising international profile following U.S. President Joe Biden’s designation of the country as a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday.

This is the first time a country in sub-Saharan Africa has been granted this designation. In May, as part of a major state visit to the White House honouring 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Mr. Biden declared his intention to promote Kenya to this status.

Washington:

Kenyan activist Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was among protesters tear-gassed on Tuesday during demonstrations outside the parliament building in Nairobi, a CNN interview showed.

Police opened fire on demonstrators trying to storm Kenya’s legislature on Tuesday, with at least five protesters killed, dozens wounded and sections of the parliament building set ablaze as lawmakers inside passed legislation to raise taxes.

Auma Obama was taken aside by a CNN reporter and asked why she was there.

“I’m here because – look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They’re demonstrating with flags and banners. I can’t even see anymore,” she said, beginning to cough and shield her eyes from the spreading smoke.

“We are being tear-gassed.”

A man behind her carried a sign reading, “Colonialism never ended in Kenya,” while another yelled, “This is our country. This is our nation.”

Auma Obama earlier posted photos of herself on Twitter at the protest.

The office of former President Obama did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the incident involving his sister or the violence in Kenya.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)