President William Ruto has expressed his willingness to engage in “a conversation” with thousands of young protesters who held nationwide demonstrations last week to oppose proposed tax increases.
The protesters, who began their demonstrations on Tuesday, say the administration of Dr Ruto has gone back on its pledge to reduce taxes and lower the cost of living.
Organised on social media and led largely by young Kenyans who livestreamed the demonstrations, the protests caught Ruto’s government off-guard, as discontent mounts over his economic policies.
“I am very proud of our young people… they have stepped forward peaceful[ly] and I want to tell them we are going to engage them,” Ruto said in his first public comments on the protests on Sunday.
“We are going to have a conversation so that together we can build a greater nation,” he added during a church service in Nyahururu town.
In response, however, one protest leader said Ruto had to “respond publically”.
“If he truly wants dialogue, he must respond publically to our demand letter,” said Hanifa Adan.
Protesters have called for a national strike on June 25.
The protests have mostly been peaceful, but five groups, including Amnesty International, noted late on Thursday in a joint statement that at least 105 protesters had been arrested in a violent crackdown by riot police that included the use of tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.
A Kenya Human Rights Commission official told the AFP news agency on Saturday that 21-year-old Evans Kiratu was “hit by a tear gas canister” during the protests and died in hospital.
On Friday, a police watchdog said it was investigating allegations that a 29-year-old man was shot by officers in Nairobi after the demonstrations.
– Agencies
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