At least six people have been killed in a day of protests in Kenya called by the political opposition over the soaring cost of living.
Tear gas was fired at protesters in cities including capital Nairobi, and Mombasa, during the demonstrations on Wednesday. Local media reported that some protesters had been shot to death, and that at least 50 children had been hospitalised after tear gas was fired into their classroom by police.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has called for regular protests – or “Maandamano” – against the rising cost of living, tax raises and the government generally.
William Ruto (56) defeated Mr Odinga (78) in the presidential election last August. While campaigning, Mr Ruto – a former vice-president, who grew up poor – portrayed himself as a supporter of the needy. He said he wanted to represent and support Kenya’s “hustlers” against the elite “dynasties” that had dominated politics since the east African country of roughly 55 million people gained its independence.
Mr Ruto’s government now says that raising taxes – including doubling Kenya’s fuel tax – is necessary to support the economy, which is struggling under debt, along with inflation and a depreciating currency. Last month Mr Ruto said he would like to see the World Bank and International Monetary Fund replaced and a more equal global financial system put in place. “IMF and World Bank, you have the final say, we do not have the final say,” he said during a round table meeting in Paris. “We want another organisation of equals.”
Mr Odinga disputed the presidential election result and still claims he won.
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In a statement issued ahead of the protests, Kenya’s national police service said its “statistics” from the year had shown that mass demonstrations left “behind a trail of massive destruction of property worth millions of [Kenyan] shillings, [and] also led to the death of innocent members of the public and law enforcement officers”.
“Consequently, and in the interest of national security,” it said “police have no other option but to take necessary measures to disperse all illegal demonstrations” as police stations had not been notified in advance about any planned protests or demonstrations.
“Nobody is trying to fix the problems in this country,” tweeted Kenyan musician Henry Ohanga, who is known as Octopizzo, using the Maandamano hashtag. “Everyone seems to be trying to make enough money so that the problems don’t apply to them anymore. We need to stop measuring ‘the economy’ by how well rich people are doing.”
The cost of living has soared across Africa in the past year as the continent absorbs the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Big, and sometimes deadly, protests have taken place in countries including Uganda, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Alongside high unemployment and a lack of social security protections in many countries there is also the problem of corruption. Last year The Irish Times reported on the impact that corruption has on the daily lives of Kenyans, with citizens interviewed saying that having to pay regular bribes to security forces and authorities added another layer of stress to their financial struggles.
