In Kenya, protesters and Police Clash while the Military Monitors the Streets

After announcing last week that they would march to the State House on Thursday, protestors say they still don’t trust President William Ruto, who has promised to reverse the tax increases and make budget cuts.

When protestors tried to gather in the central business district, police threw tear gas canisters at them. Despite a Wednesday court order suspending their deployment to support police during the protests, the military has continued to patrol the city. On Wednesday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pleaded with the youth demonstrators to postpone their planned demonstrations and try communication instead.

Regarding Thursday’s protests’ agenda, activists were split. One protester, Boniface Mwangi, urged others to pay their respects by peacefully marching to Parliament Road, the scene of protesters’ deaths. He wrote on X, “Invasion of the State House isn’t a solution.”

However, Francis Gaitho, one of the numerous activists organizing the demonstrations via the internet, urged the youth to march to the State House.

On Tuesday, Ruto promised to end unrest “at whatever cost,” which alarmed activists and others who cautioned that the stakes were higher than in previous protests.

The Associated Press was informed by analyst Javas Bigambo that part of the unhappiness stems from Kenyans’ lack of confidence in the president’s ability to carry out the austerity measures he announced on Wednesday.