UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday, June 26, said he wasdeeply saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries - including of journalists and medical personnel - connected to protests and street demonstrations in Kenya.
Kenyan President William Ruto termed Tuesday's street protests in the East African nation as treasonous, noting that his government will soon provide an expeditious response to the situation, Xinhua reports. In his televised address to the nation, Ruto said the government has mobilized all its resources to ensure the situation does not occur again "at whatever cost."
In a post on his official X account, Guterres said: “I urge the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint, and call for all demonstrations to take place peacefully.”
Guterres’s call for restraint followed a similar call by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Amb Moussa Faki Mahamat, who released a statement hours earlier, on Tuesday, urging all stakeholders to exercise calm and refrain from further violence. The AUC Chairperson also appealed to Kenyan stakeholders to “engage in constructive dialogue to address the contentious issues that led to the protests in the supreme interest of Kenya.”
President Ruto on Tuesday directed security organs to use all means possible to thwart any threats to the country's national security.
"It is possible that the criminals who reigned terror on innocent people and challenged our security organs are likely to continue with this behaviour," he said, adding that the planners, financiers and abetters of the protests would not go scot-free.
Ruto's remarks came a few hours after at least five protestors were shot dead and more than 150 others injured as protests erupted countrywide for the second week in a row against new taxation measures proposed. The protestors gathered in various towns across Kenya, including the capital Nairobi, where they breached the heavily guarded premises to enter both the National Assembly and the Senate, destroying property and marching into the buildings despite police firing live bullets in the air.
In his address, Ruto said the government would not tolerate crime masked as democratic expression. "The government will secure the nation and any threats to national security are a danger to the Republic and will be dealt with," he said.
The president observed that the national conversation on what affects the nation would only be done under the rule of law, constitutionalism, and respect for the nation.
Ruto spoke as Aden Duale, the cabinet secretary for defence, gazetted the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces to aid the police in curbing protests.
The Kenya Defence Forces were deployed on Tuesday in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency caused by ongoing violent protests in various parts of the country, Duale said.
Uhuru Kenyatta appealed for calm and dialogue
In a statement issued on Tuesday, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta appealed for calm and dialogue, noting that he is saddened by the loss of lives occasioned by the protests.
Kenyatta asked elected leaders to listen to the people's grievances, calling for calm and for the leadership "to show restraint and do the right thing by listening to the people and not be antagonistic to them."
The lawmakers on Tuesday morning passed the contentious finance bill 2024, seeking to raise an additional 346.7 billion shillings (2.67 billion U.S. dollars), by such measures as increasing the railway development levy from 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent and the import declaration fee from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.
The legislators also imposed an eco-levy on imported items like smartphones and electronics, noting they end up as electronic waste damaging the environment.
Ruto, who won the elections in August 2022 on the platform of helping the poor, has been under pressure to raise additional revenues in the country amid rising government debt repayments.
The finance bill was thus amended to remove the proposed 16 percent VAT on bread, transportation of sugar, financial services, foreign exchange transactions, and the 2.5 percent motor vehicle tax.
There will be no increase in mobile money transfer fees, and the excise duty on vegetable oil has also been removed. Levies on the housing fund and the proposed one on social health insurance will not attract income tax, The New Times
At least 9 other soldiers wounded, government declares 3 days of national mourning. Twenty Nigerien soldiers and a civilian were killed in an attack by “a coalition of terrorist groups” in western Niger on Tuesday, the government said.
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. local time when a detachment of the Defense and Security Forces was attacked on the outskirts of the village of Tassia in the Tillaberi region in the tri-border area, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
At least nine other soldiers were wounded, it added.
The military government declared three days of national mourning from Wednesday, during which flags will fly at half-mast.
The ministry said the army later launched an operation in which dozens of terrorists were neutralized and their means of transport destroyed.
Lt. Gen. Salifou Mody, the Minister of State for National Defense, in his condolence message assured the population of “the unwavering will of the defense and security forces to continue the fight for sovereignty.”
The Tillaberi region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, faces regular attacks blamed on an affiliate of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.
Niger is ruled by a junta which ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum last July, citing a worsening security situation.
Earlier this year, the junta cancelled “with immediate effect” a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the US. Yeni Safak
CA (Communication Authority) has assured Kenyans that internet won't be disrupted during the Gen Z protests. The Law Society of Kenya with other 26 international and local lobby groups had made claims that the government had plans to shut down internet services due to Gen Z protests.
CA has said it won't shut down internet as doing so would jeopardize the country fast growing digital economy. The ongoing protests across the country is still trending on social media.
Kenya's fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for calm after destruction and loss of life following the protests against Finance Bill 2024.
"My fellow Kenyans, I come to you with a heavy heart saddened by the loss of life occasioned by the situation prevailing in our country. It's the right of every Kenyan to protest as determined by the constitution promulgated in 2010. It's also the duty of the leader to listen to those they lead. At this trying time for our country , I want to remind all leaders that they were elected by the people. Listening to the people is not a choice but a mandate enshrined in the principles of our constitution and the philosophy of democracy. Leader must know that power and authority they have is donated to them by the people. And therefore call for calm and for the leadership to show restraint and do the right thing by listening to the people and not to be antagonistic to them. Violence on either side is not the answer. "
This comes after protest over the controversial Finance bill saw demonstrator clash with the police resulting to deaths of five people. During the protest Parliament was set on Fire, The Supreme Court building, City Hall and other places houses and businesses belonging to MPs who voted for the bill. After passing the controversial bill, some MPs took shelter in the parliament basement.
The day was marked with sounds of gun shots and teargas. The burning and clash between the police and protesters took place in many cities and towns across Kenya. President Ruto has blamed the clashes and destruction on criminals who he calls terrorists.
Earlier today, the leader of Majority in National Assembly Kimani Ichungwa tabled a motion seeking to legally ratify government's decision to deploy Kenya Defence Forces(KDF) officers to tackle protesters.
"THAT, pursuant to Article 241(3)(c) of the Constitution and sections 31(1)(b), 31(1)(c) and 32 of the Kenya Defence Forces Act, Cap. 199, this House accedes to the request of the Defence Council dated 26th June 2024 and, in the interest of national security, approves the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in support of the National Police Service in various parts of the Republic of Kenya affected by ongoing violent protests that have caused destruction to critical infrastructure until normalcy is restored," read the motion in part.
Kenya Defence CS Aden Duale said the deployment was necessary to curtail rogue protesters. Kenyans accused the state of deploying military to handle unarmed protesters. Kenyans argued that KDF should only be deployed during state of emergencies or disaster, to restore peace.
When Gen Z protests began, MPs were quick to dismiss them with derogatory epithets. First, Kenya's leader of Majority in Parliament Kimani Ichungwa, said,
"Those protesting in Nairobi, are holding iphones, they call themselves Gen Z, they come out of Uber taxis, they get in KFC and eat, they don't know what it means to lack electricity ".
Now he has changed his viewpoint and says, they are our children, they need to be listened to. He also said Gen Z has been a good example to all of us, they have demonstrated, we can unite on things that matter without our focus on tribalism.
During his support to the Finance Bill 2024, the MP for Dagoreti South , John Kiarie said Gen Z was not real and images of their protests circulating on social media were manipulated. He even alleged some of the images didn't originate from Kenya. Gen Z techno-savvy troops pounced on him on social media, causing him to trend by posting images of their protests and exposing him as a lying sycophant. He retreated and apologised.
“In the heat of the moment during the debate on the finance bill, my words were unnecessary, misguided and insensitive. I deeply regret my utterances and understand the anger and frustration that exists in our nation,” Kiarie stated.
For many years leaders have assumed that the Kenyan youth weren't focused on Politics. They could promise them anything, no matter how strange or unreal and get away with it. The political class assumed the youth and the masses didn't care that much about matters politics.
Gen Z has proved this thinking wrong. The youth are focused, they are educated, they understand politics, they know what it going on, they know their rights, they have read and analysed Finance Bill 2024 and their knowledge is being showcased on X, Instagram, Facebook and all other social media platforms. Their knowledge trickles down to their young sisters and brothers.
A new dawn in Kenya has started. Gen Z don't care tribes, Gen Z is the new Kenya. Gen Z has zero tolerance to corruption, impunity and lack of accountability. Gen Z wants a better Kenya for all.
Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.
To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854. If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.
We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.
