Tuesday, 16 July 2024 04:37

Kenya braces for more protests despite Ruto’s cabinet sack

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Kenya braced for more anti-government protests as talks proposed by President William Ruto to help end the nation’s political crisis appeared to stall.

Activists have called for demonstrations across the East African nation on Tuesday over the government’s failure to prosecute security forces suspected of killing at least 41 people protesting against plans to raise taxes over the past month. Ruto announced last week that a so-called national dialogue would begin on Monday to defuse tensions in the country.

Kenya’s main opposition Orange Democratic Movement said it’s unclear about when the talks — which seek to bring together political parties, civil society groups and professional associations — will take place.

“We haven’t received any invitation,” ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna said by phone. “When called, we’ll go because we are keen on getting broad-based reforms.”

A spokesperson for the presidency said parliamentary leaders were in charge of the planned talks. National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah didn’t respond to request for comment.

Protests began in Kenya in mid-June over Ruto’s plans to increase taxes on everything from bread to diapers to raise more than $2 billion the government needs to reduce its budget shortfall. The demonstrations forced Ruto to scrap the proposal. Last week, he took the drastic step of firing almost all of the members of his cabinet in a bid to address public anger of its performance.

As a result of the decision to scrap the revenue-raising measures, the government expects its budget deficit to widen to 3.6% of gross domestic product in the current fiscal year, compared with a previous projection of 3.3%. Moody’s Ratings last week downgraded Kenya’s rating by a step to Caa1, or seven notches into junk, in a sign of the country’s worsening fiscal plight.

Ruto on Saturday vowed to hold to account those responsible for killings in the country. On Monday, he called on the Ford Foundation, a private entity that promotes civic engagement, to “explain its role in the recent protests.”

The foundation didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment.

 

Bloomberg

June 13, 2025

Oil soars more than 9% after Israel strikes Iran

Oil prices surged more than 9% on Friday, hitting their highest in almost five months…
June 14, 2025

Tinubu's pardon of 'Ogoni Nine' rejected by Ogoni people

Ogoni activists on Friday rejected a posthumous pardon for nine members executed three decades ago…
June 12, 2025

Self-made millionaire shares the hardest money conversation he had with his wife: ‘I’m sweating thinking about it’

Self-made millionaire, author and TV host Ramit Sethi knows a thing or two about money.…
June 14, 2025

Traditional healer treats the sick with snake bites

Rosalio Culit, also known as Datu Kamandag among his fellow Manobo tribe members in Surigao…
June 10, 2025

13 killed in fresh attacks in sokoto and plateau states amid rising insecurity

At least 13 people have been killed in separate violent incidents in Sokoto and Plateau…
June 14, 2025

What to know after Day 1206 of Russia-Ukraine war

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Russian air defenses down Neptune missile, 1,582 Ukrainian drones in past week Russian…
June 13, 2025

Your favorite alcoholic beverage linked to deadly form of cancer, study finds

Nicole Saphier joins 'America's Newsroom' to discuss the surgeon general pushing for cancer warning labels…
May 13, 2025

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualify for World Cup after dramatic win over Senegal

Nigeria's U-20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, have secured their place at the 2025…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.