Police in Kenya fired tear gas on protesters as a fresh wave of demonstrations swept the country, despite President William Ruto\u2019s U-turn on controversial tax plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fresh protests dubbed\u00a0\u201cOne Million People March\u201d\u00a0began Thursday, with demonstrators calling for roads leading to the capital Nairobi to be blocked. Others threatened to\u00a0occupy the State House, the president\u2019s office,\u00a0and the official residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a surprise move on Wednesday, Ruto said he would not sign the finance bill, saying he had been \u201clistening keenly\u201d to the Kenyan people. He had been facing escalating protests over the bill, with a civil society organization saying at least 23 people had died in clashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police in Kenya fired tear gas on protesters as a fresh wave of demonstrations swept the country, despite President William Ruto\u2019s U-turn on controversial tax plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fresh protests dubbed\u00a0\u201cOne Million People March\u201d\u00a0began Thursday, with demonstrators calling for roads leading to the capital Nairobi to be blocked. Others threatened to\u00a0occupy the State House, the president\u2019s office,\u00a0and the official residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a surprise move on Wednesday, Ruto said he would not sign the finance bill, saying he had been \u201clistening keenly\u201d to the Kenyan people. He had been facing escalating protests over the bill, with a civil society organization saying at least 23 people had died in clashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite being billed as a \u2018million people march,\u2019 turnout was noticeably lower in Nairobi\u2019s central business district, a CNN team observed. The heavy security presence within the city deterred a crowd from forming with police shouting at protesters to \u201cgo home\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What the largely youthful protesters now want varies. Some have called on President Ruto\u00a0to resign\u00a0for failing to withdraw the unpopular bill much earlier to save the lives lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Others are seeking justice for the deceased protesters and demanding\u00a0the recall of lawmakers\u00a0who voted in support of the finance bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want them to listen to me,\u201d another protester told CNN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Civic groups such as the Law Society of Kenya are calling for the removal of Kenya\u2019s inspector general of police and Nairobi\u2019s regional police commander after officers were accused of reportedly shooting dead protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya, East Africa\u2019s dominant economy, has grappled with escalating living costs that have spiked food prices and other commodities. The nation also owes billions of dollars in foreign and local debts, spending a sizeable chunk of its revenue\u00a0repaying its creditors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am not going to preside over a bankrupt country, I am not going to preside over a country that is in debt distress,\u201d President Ruto\u00a0said\u00a0last month while defending his plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expressed concern about a\u00a0\u201csignificant shortfall\u201d\u00a0in Kenya\u2019s \u201ctax revenue collection\u201d while urging its government to consider measures to shore up its earnings to reduce borrowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bill proposed levies on locally produced products, such as diapers and sanitary towels, including taxes on motor vehicles, and mobile money transfer fees, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, Ruto\u00a0shelved\u00a0some of those taxes, but Kenyans remain angry, and called for the bill to\u00a0be\u00a0scrapped completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
International financial ratings agency Moody\u2019s warned that scrapping the bill \u201cwill create a revenue shortfall\u201d in Kenya\u2019s budgeting. Ruto warned of spending cuts across government financing if the tax measures were withdrawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ruto\u2019s leadership is now being tested like never before. His ability to navigate this period of unrest will be critical not only for his political survival but also for the stability of Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ongoing protests suggest that mere policy reversals may not be sufficient. Analyst Herman Manyora, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, told CNN the president may need to engage in more substantial reforms to restore faith in his administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe way forward is for the president to go a little more than he has done now in order to get the goodwill of the people,\u201d Manyora said. \u201cHe needs to reshuffle his cabinet and economic advisers which will send a signal that will create the goodwill required. At that point, a government-led conversation can take place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ruto, whose rise to the presidency was largely propelled by youth voters said in his address retracting the finance bill that he hoped to engage with young people in the country to listen to their ideas and proposals on how to solve the nation\u2019s economic challenges. But that won\u2019t come easy, Manyora said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey (young people) feel betrayed. That\u2019s what is fueling this riot.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Police in Kenya fired tear gas on protesters as a fresh wave of demonstrations swept the country, despite President William Ruto\u2019s U-turn on controversial tax plans. Fresh protests dubbed\u00a0\u201cOne Million People March\u201d\u00a0began Thursday, with demonstrators calling for roads leading to the capital Nairobi to be blocked. Others threatened to\u00a0occupy the State House, the president\u2019s office,\u00a0and the official […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,2,15],"tags":[7,30,25],"class_list":{"0":"post-39180","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-featured","9":"category-politics","10":"tag-apie-project","11":"tag-culture","12":"tag-politics"},"yoast_head":"\n