In a serious escalation of tensions, riot police patrolled Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday morning as young activists called for further protests in response to last week’s deadly clashes.
Members of the protest movement, which has no official leaders and largely organizes via social media, have rejected President William Ruto’s appeals for dialogue, even after he abandoned proposed tax hikes.
Outraged by last week’s deaths—at least 39, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR)—many are now demanding that President Ruto step down.
“We are determined to push for the president’s resignation,” said Mr. Ojango Omondi, an activist in Nairobi. “We hope for a peaceful protest and minimal casualties, if any.”
Initially sparked by anger over nearly $2.7 billion in proposed tax hikes, the protests have evolved into a nationwide movement against corruption and misgovernance, posing the most serious crisis of Ruto’s nearly two-year presidency.
Caught between the demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund, which urges the heavily indebted government to cut deficits, and a population struggling with the soaring cost of living, Ruto faces a delicate balance.
He has directed the Treasury to devise ways to cut spending to fill the budget gap caused by the bill’s withdrawal and mentioned that more borrowing will be required.
The protests, which began in mid-June, remained mostly peaceful until last Tuesday when police clashed with demonstrators. Some protesters briefly stormed parliament and set part of it ablaze. Police opened fire, killing many, according to human rights groups.
The KNHCR reported on Monday that 39 people have been killed and 361 injured since the first protest on June 18.
President Ruto defended the police’s actions, stating they were doing their best under difficult circumstances. He blamed the violence on “criminals,” who he said had hijacked the demonstrations.
“It’s a beautiful day to choose patriotism. A beautiful day to choose peace, order, and the sanctity of our nationhood,” State House communications director Gerald Bitok wrote on X on Tuesday morning, adding in Swahili: “Violence is not patriotism.”
It remains unclear how many people will respond to the new calls for protests. There were no reports of demonstrations early in the morning.
Shops opened as usual in downtown Nairobi, the site of the most intense protests last week, though police had erected roadblocks leading to the president’s official residence. The atmosphere was tense as people cautiously resumed their daily routines.
