Nairobi, Kenya – A heavy police presence blanketed the central business district of Nairobi on Tuesday in anticipation of renewed protests against President William Ruto’s government. This follows a month of escalating unrest sparked by unpopular tax hikes.
The protests, initially led by young Gen-Z activists, began peacefully but turned violent last month, leading to numerous fatalities and a temporary halt in the planned tax increases. Despite a lull in street demonstrations since late June, when clashes left dozens dead and resulted in the storming of parliament, calls for President Ruto’s resignation have persisted. New rallies have been organized for Tuesday under the hashtag “RutoMustGo”.
An AFP journalist reported a significant police deployment in Nairobi’s central area, which has been the focal point of previous protests. Local youths armed with clubs were seen guarding their businesses, wary of potential disruptions.
Acting national police chief Douglas Kanja issued a statement saying, “This morning we received credible intelligence indicating that certain organised criminal groups have planned to infiltrate, disrupt and destabilise the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, which could potentially jeopardise the safety of demonstrators.”
Past protests have frequently devolved into chaos, marked by widespread looting and property damage. Activists claim their peaceful demonstrations have been undermined by “goons”. Human rights groups report that since the protests began on June 18, at least 39 people have died, with police facing accusations of excessive force.
President Ruto, facing the most significant challenge of his presidency thus far, has attempted to quell the unrest through various measures. These include rescinding the tax hikes, dismissing nearly his entire cabinet, and committing to reducing government spending. Despite these efforts, the protest movement has evolved into a broader campaign against his administration, demanding action on corruption and justice for victims of alleged police brutality.
