Business came to a standstill for the better part of Tuesday in various parts of Kenya as demonstrators took to the streets protesting against the government on multiple issues.
- Largely composed of the youth, they are protesting against the government’s policies and are demanding end to wastage in the government through budgeted corruption, as well as police brutality and abductions.
- In Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisii, Machakos, Kisumu, and Nakuru, protestors came out paralysing activities with many businesses closed as traders feared destruction of their properties.
- In Nairobi, police lobbed teargas at protestors and there were early reports that several protestors had been injured.
The Finance Bill 2024, which proposed various tax measures to finance the 2024/25 budget, ignited the first protests from last month; pressure from demonstrators necessitated withdrawal of the Bill, which is still pending a Parliamentary sitting.
To plug in the KSh346 billion hole resulting from the withdrawal of the Bill, President William Ruto announced a raft of austerity measures including removal of budget for the First Lady’s Office, dissolving 47 government agencies. The President said he would ask parliament for spending cuts totalling KSh177 billion for the fiscal year that began on 1st July, and that the government would increase borrowing by about KSh169 billion.
The new austerity measures also include sending government staff who have attained 60 years to immediate retirement, suspension of CAS seats, removal of budgetary provisions for confidential budgets for various executives, slashing the budget for renovations across the government by 50 per cent, and reduction of government advisors by 50 percent.
Despite the President’s announcements of the budget cuts early this month, protests have continued with the schedule being on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Recent action to address part of the protestors demands was the sacking of entire cabinet except Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for foreign affairs Musalia Mudavadi.
In July last year, when Kenya witnessed similar protest staged by the opposition, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) said the manufacturing sector alone was losing approximately KSh2.86 billion daily due to the countrywide anti-government protests.
This is a developing story…
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