Young Kenyans are taking to the streets to protest a proposed finance bill that many fears will significantly raise their already high cost of living by introducing new taxes and increasing existing ones on a variety of goods and services. During the protests, CNN journalists were teargassed live on television simply for reporting on the event. Despite the teargas, young Kenyans continue to protest.
“This is a heavily militarised response to a peaceful march,” said Larry Madowo, a CNN reporter. Protesters wearing black T-shirts and blowing whistles and vuvuzelas gathered near the Parliament, adding to the online outcry expressed through hashtags and videos on TikTok. Lawmakers have been inundated with phone calls and text messages urging them to reject the bill.
Police officers used tear gas and water cannons against the protesters and quickly started making arrests. More than 200 people, including journalists, were detained, according to a statement from a coalition of human rights groups. The police have not yet provided an official statement on the number of arrests.
Businesses in the central business district closed their doors as police officers chased demonstrators and sirens blared through the streets.
Amid the protests, the government announced it would drop some of the new taxes, including those on bread. Opposition lawmakers dismissed this concession as a “PR exercise,” insisting that Kenyans are demanding the complete withdrawal of the bill. They plan to continue their demonstrations until the government meets their demands.
The protests are being led by Gen Z, with support from millennials and older generations, all united in their fight to secure the future for coming generations. The young Kenyans are challenging the government’s decision-making process, which they believe has excluded the youth. The uproar over the legislation, aimed at raising more revenue, represents one of the strongest backlashes against President William Ruto’s administration. Ruto, who was elected in 2022, had campaigned on a platform of improving living standards for the poor.
The protests come just weeks after President Ruto returned from a state visit to the United States, where he signed several investment and development deals with the Biden administration aimed at alleviating debt and sparking long-term growth. Many Kenyans are questioning the value of these deals when the average citizen is suffering. Social media is flooded with messages blaming President Ruto’s government for the current hardships.
The anger over the tax measures highlights the broader challenges facing African economies, where unemployment and rising food and fuel prices have made life increasingly difficult, especially for the young.
The bill, first presented in Parliament last month, introduces new taxes and levies that would increase the price of goods such as bread, diapers, and cars. It increases import duties on goods and raises taxes on telephone and internet data, as well as money transfer fees charged by banks and other financial services. It also raises taxes for companies and operators of digital businesses like ride-hailing and food-delivery services.
On Tuesday, President Ruto’s parliamentary alliance, which has a majority in the national assembly, announced that some measures would be dropped, including the tax on bread and the excise duty on vegetable oil.
“I urge all members of Parliament to still vote no against the draconian, oppressive finance bill,” said Babu Owino, an opposition lawmaker. Owino called the government’s reversal on some of the proposals a “PR exercise” and accused it of being “disconnected” from the daily lives of ordinary Kenyans. Kenya is undergoing a transformation, and the era of command politics is losing its grip on the people.
