Kenya: Protesters demand President Ruto's resignation
Weeks of protest across Kenya have led to a massive state crackdown and left dozens dead. The government has withdrawn a controversial tax bill and dismissed cabinet members to appease demonstrators.
Escalation of protests in Nairobi
Police use tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators in Nairobi. The protesters wave Kenyan flags and placards with the slogan "Ruto Must Go." Throughout the country, they demand the president's resignation. The protests against the government, led by young Kenyans, were initially peaceful.
Audit our national debt!
A demonstrator in business attire demands: “Check our national debt!” Although the street protests became less frequent after the deadly riots in June, the demonstrators have not let up in their demands. "We are peaceful, we have no weapons, but they shoot at us and attack us with tear gas," says demonstrator Francis Mumo.
With all force
The newspaper “The Nation” reports protests in at least 23 of Kenya's 47 districts. Heavily armed police officers take action against the demonstrators in Nairobi's central business district. One of them, Kinuthia Ndung'u, accuses the security forces of "excessive violence against peaceful demonstrators".
The protests cause deaths and injuries
An injured protester is taken to safety. According to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, 50 people have been killed, 413 injured, 682 arrested and 59 abducted since the protests began on June 18.
Dissatisfaction of the younger generation Z
The protests have triggered the biggest crisis in William Ruto's two years in office. Kenya uses almost a third of its state revenue to pay off its debt. The president is in a dilemma: He is supposed to reduce the national debt and at the same time help the population, who are burdened with an increasingly expensive cost of living. One demonstrator in Nairobi says: "Ruto is very incompetent."
Plundering and vandalism
Young men burn tires in the streets and shout slogans. Some of the earlier rallies were accompanied by looting and damage to property. Demonstrators say that their peaceful actions were exploited by "vandals."
Call for reforms
Ruto has offered the protesters a dialog, but the movement has long since turned into a broader campaign against his government. It is also about measures against corruption and justice for the victims of alleged police brutality. Demonstrator Maureen Nyaga expects "that our demands will be met."