Social Media Flexes Its Muscles in Kenya, Forcing Ruto to Back Down

 Kenya, East Africa's largest trade, financial, and transport hub, has recently made global headlines for political turmoil and protest demonstrations. The protests and clashes we witnessed recently are not new to Kenya.

In March 2023, opposition leader and former President Raila Odinga called on the nation to protest the administration of current President William Ruto over the "high cost of living." People poured into the streets, and chaos ensued across the country. The protests, which quickly turned violent and led to looting, resulted in deaths and injuries from police gunfire, with hundreds arrested.

That same year, on July 7th, new taxes and a hike in fuel prices again caused unrest. Even though the high court suspended the taxes, the discontent did not subside, and people took to the streets once more.

History Repeats Itself

Last week, events flared up again as Kenyans poured into the streets to protest the 2024 Finance Bill, which proposed new tax hikes. This time, the people didn't need direction from the opposition. What began in the capital, Nairobi, with no political leader at the helm, quickly spread nationwide.

Organized by Gen Z on social media platforms like X and TikTok, the protests were initially peaceful but spiraled out of control due to both violent actions by some demonstrators and the police's harsh response. The clashes have so far left more than 20 people dead, over 200 injured, and many others arrested.

As a result of these developments, President Ruto withdrew the bill containing the tax increases. However, this move was not enough to make the protesters end their demonstrations. Digital activism continues at full speed on social media because the people are not just protesting higher taxes. Kenyans are deeply frustrated by government corruption and the blatant misuse of public funds.

In both the marches and on social media, there is also strong opposition to the economic dictatorship of IMF and World Bank loans and to U.S. imperialism. The controversial finance bill was, in fact, recommended by the IMF to reduce government borrowing. The government listened to the IMF and aimed to reduce debt by raising taxes on citizens' essential needs, rather than by cutting the luxurious public spending criticized by the people.

The Black Face of U.S. Imperialism in Haiti

Amid the domestic chaos, Kenya, under an agreement with the U.S., sent 400 police officers to the Caribbean nation of Haiti to "restore security."

President William Ruto had signaled this deployment during a visit to the U.S. last month, which he made on his "luxury private jet." Ruto’s decision to send police to Haiti at Biden's behest to "uphold the rule of law and democracy" is being fiercely criticized by the public, especially as his own government's violent crackdowns on street demonstrations at home are seen as moving away from democracy and justice.

With this move, America has effectively appointed Kenya—which it declared a Major Non-NATO Ally to counter the growing influence of Russia and China in Africa—as a proxy for American imperialism in Haiti.

The Outcome of Protests in Kenyan History

Looking at Kenya's political history, such widespread protests date back to the colonial era and the independence process.

During the terms of the country's first President, Jomo Kenyatta, and his successor, Daniel Moi, Kenyans protested political assassinations and autocracy. Moi's amendment of the constitution in 1982 to make Kenya a one-party state increased political tension. While opposition politicians and civil society called for a return to political pluralism, Kenyans held protests in Nairobi to support a coup attempt against Moi. Civil society, religious groups, and financially supportive Western countries eventually forced Moi to reintroduce multi-party politics in 1991.

In 1992, the mothers of political prisoners secured their sons' release through an 11-month hunger strike. In 2007 and 2017, Odinga again called for protests after losing elections, which led to violent demonstrations, ethnic clashes, and the deaths of over a thousand people.

In short, while protests in Kenyan history have often been a testament to the power of the masses to force change, they have sometimes also brought significant problems alongside solutions due to their intense violence.

Ruto, Caught Between the IMF and Young Protesters

President Ruto, who described the protests as "treasonous" and accused protesters of "undermining security and stability," has now said he is withdrawing the finance bill. However, the public believes this is merely a move to buy time.

Some citizens, angry about the deaths and injuries, are calling for the government to resign. Over time, these calls may fade, and calm may return to Kenya. But the people of Kenya—particularly the younger generation—have proven they can organize without politicians or civil society groups, and that nothing will deter them until they get what they want. Therefore, the people could mobilize again, and Kenya could see another wave of protests.

The Gen Z, which added a new dimension to the demonstrations through digital activism, is now a crucial factor to consider; their vote in the 2027 elections will be decisive. This youth population, at the very heart of the protests, is estimated to reach 10 million in the country of 54 million people. This generation are also the children of parents who suffered through the IMF/World Bank Structural Adjustment Programs of the 80s and 90s, which led the state to withdraw from providing basic services like health and education.

President Ruto, whose credibility is damaged, faces a difficult test. He must choose between making decisions that involve public consultation, protecting the people's interests, and continuing to operate under the influence of the U.S.

In short, Kenya's future will be shaped by how much its leaders listen to the people's voice and how they choose to respond to it.

Sources:
https://mfa.go.ke/country-profile/
https://www.liberationnews.org/imperialism-comes-to-haiti-with-a-black-face/
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/kenya-mass-protests-a-long-and-rich-history-4185608

 

This article was originally published in Independent Türkçe, June 30,2024.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The West’s New Exile Route: Refugees to Africa

For centuries, Africa has been more than a site of exploitation for Europe — it has also served as a dumping ground for the unwanted. France sent its convicts and political exiles to Gabon and Djibouti. Spain relocated those it expelled from Cuba to the island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea. Portugal deported criminals and “undesirable” individuals (the degredados ) to Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea. Thus, the continent functioned both as a field of plunder for the West’s underground wealth and as a prison for those it deemed unworthy of living in Europe. Despite the passage of time, the Western mindset has hardly changed. Today, electronic waste, discarded computers, and piles of second-hand clothes no one wants are still shipped to Africa — this time under the label of “aid.” History repeats itself. Once again, the West is seeking ways to offload what it perceives as excess — undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, and those it stigmatizes as “criminals” or “barbarians” — back ont...
Read more

How the UAE is Enveloping Africa Through Ports

 In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has drawn significant attention with its rapidly expanding economic, diplomatic, and military presence in Africa. While projecting an image as a modern, progressive, and investment-friendly Arab nation, this Gulf state’s activities reveal deeper contradictions. From supporting the Rapid Support Forces—the perpetrators of genocide in Sudan—thereby destabilizing the region and illegally exporting gold from the chaos, the UAE has built its influence on profound inconsistencies. This marks a fundamental shift in Emirati foreign policy toward the continent. Following its independence in 1971, the UAE’s relations with Africa, initially based on religious and geographic proximity, evolved into a purely strategic and interest-driven approach as the economic clout of Abu Dhabi and Dubai grew. Despite formal sovereignty, the UAE’s ruling elite long acted as a pro-Western proxy. Its current role in Sudan’s chaos is a clear and ruthless contin...
Read more

The Normalization of Atrocity: The Silent Cry of the Sudanese People

Throughout history, the African continent has witnessed countless wars, massacres, and genocides. While the crimes committed by European colonizers are now learned through books, archives, and documentaries, today’s tragedies in Sudan, Congo, and other African nations unfold before our eyes—streamed live on our screens. Yet little has changed. The wars raging for years in Sudan and Congo are often reduced to a few superficial news briefs, barely making a dent in our collective conscience. On social media, they appear only briefly, slipping into the “explore” pages of a handful of users. In newspapers, almost no one deems these tragedies “worthy” of attention. The empathy shown for Gaza gives hope; but how can we explain our silence toward Africa? Have we become so conditioned to seeing Africa through the images of “hunger, famine, poverty, and endless wars” that every tragedy there now feels “ordinary”? No African mother gives birth knowing her child will die of hunger; no fath...
Read more