insert_link Africa Kenya unrest: Ruto awakened class politics that now threatens to engulf him By Peter Lockwood, University of Manchester Many of the grievances of Kenya’s Gen-Z, young people who took to the streets in late June, have been palpable for years. I witnessed these during field research as a social anthropologist studying land, livelihoods, urbanisation and electoral politics in Kiambu County, which borders Nairobi to the north and west. I spent nearly two years there between 2017 […] todayJuly 4, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Kenya police say over 270 arrested for criminal acts during Tuesday protests Kenyan police said they have arrested more than 270 people masquerading as protesters who are suspected of going on a criminal rampage during anti-government rallies on Tuesday. Widespread looting and property damage was reported during the youth-led demonstrations in various cities across the country, which some protesters said had been infiltrated by "goons". "Security forces across the country singled out suspects found engaging in criminal activities in […] todayJuly 3, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Kenya’s Ruto proposes youth dialog forum Kenya’s President William Ruto has suggested creating a multi-sectoral group to facilitate dialog with the country’s youth following weeks of anti-government protests. Nation newspaper reports that the proposed 100-member national forum will include nominees from student leadership, as well as civil society, religious organisations, professional bodies, businesses, academia, national assembly leadership, and the council of governors. The announcement follows last week's unprecedented scenes that left parts of Parliament ablaze as […] todayJuly 1, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Hotbed of corruption: Kenya’s elite have captured the state – unrest is inevitable By Gedion Onyango, London School of Economics and Political Science A strong undercurrent driving the unprecedented anti-tax protests in Kenya is outrage over theft of public resources coupled with the extravagant lifestyles of public servants. There are widespread frustrations that President William Ruto also failed to deliver on his electoral promises to address corruption. He’s even earned a new nickname — “Zakayo”, a reference […] todayJuly 1, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Kenya protests: Ruto pulling the finance bill is unlikely to satisfy angry young protesters – here’s why By Kathleen Klaus, Uppsala University In a move that shocked observers, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced on 26 June he was withdrawing his government’s highly controversial finance bill. This followed two days in which tens of thousands of mostly young protesters took to the streets in nationwide rallies against the proposals contained in the country’s 2024 budget. Kathleen Klaus, who has studied […] todayJune 27, 2024 24
insert_link Africa What’s next after Kenya’s deadly protests? By Rose TROUP BUCHANAN, Simon VALMARY After an unprecedented day of chaos and deadly violence, Kenya finds itself plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday, with lawmakers due to vote this week on deeply unpopular tax hikes that have sparked widespread protests. How did East Africa's economic powerhouse get to this point and what happens now? Tuesday's national strike against proposed tax hikes began peacefully, with […] todayJune 26, 2024 6
insert_link Africa ‘Shaken to the core’: Kenya shocked as protests turn deadly By Dylan GAMBA, Rose TROUP BUCHANAN Kenya was in a state of shock Wednesday following unprecedented scenes that left parts of parliament ablaze and gutted, as protests over proposed tax hikes turned deadly, prompting President William Ruto's government to deploy the military. "Deaths, mayhem", read the front-page headline on the Standard newspaper, while the Daily Nation described the situation as "Pandemonium", saying: "The […] todayJune 26, 2024 6
insert_link Africa One killed in Kenya rallies as protesters breach parliament Kenyan police shot dead one protester near the country's parliament Tuesday, a rights watchdog said, as hundreds of demonstrators angry over tax hikes breached barricades and entered the partly ablaze government complex. AFP journalists saw three people lying motionless on the ground near the compound, where police fired live rounds and left "many wounded", according to Amnesty International Kenya. Police fired at crowds massing outside the parliament […] todayJune 25, 2024 18
insert_link Africa Kenyan protesters have taken to the streets in their thousands – what the law says about their rights By John Mukum Mbaku, Weber State University Across Kenya, thousands of mostly young citizens are protesting against tax proposals tabled by President William Ruto’s administration in its annual budget legislation. Using hashtags like #RejectFinanceBill2024 and #OccupyParliament, protesters have held demonstrations against the finance bill since 18 June 2024. They believe its proposals burden salaried Kenyans, entrepreneurs and consumers. They argue that it goes against […] todayJune 25, 2024 11
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
