Demonstrators in Kenya prepare to resume protests

Protestors in Kenya are preparing to resume demonstrations despite President Ruto declining to sign the finance bill into law. They aim to ‘occupy State House,’ insisting only Ruto’s resignation will satisfy them. Isabel Nakirya reports.

Analysts said that while the finance bill initially triggered the protests, they have now expanded to reflect broad dissatisfaction with the government. Protesters in Nairobi told Al Jazeera they are demanding the president’s resignation.

The Associated Press meanwhile reports that police in Kenya’s capital hurled tear gas Thursday to break up anti-tax protesters who continued to gather despite President William Ruto’s repudiation of unpopular tax legislation that prompted deadly unrest earlier in the week.

Protesters who continued to gather Thursday said they still don’t trust Ruto despite him sending the finance bill back to parliament with a vow to make budget cuts to replace the proposed new taxes and fees on a range of items and services, from egg imports to bank transfers.

Thursday’s protests were at a smaller scale than Tuesday’s, and every attempt by demonstrators to congregate was met by pushback from the police. The military also has been patrolling the city, despite a Wednesday court order that suspended their deployment to support police during the protests.