President William Ruto faces a headache as the youth-led anti-government protests witnessed on Tuesday are spreading outside Nairobi.
There are planned countrywide demonstrations in various major towns on Thursday morning.
The demos have been planned in at least five regions, including President Ruto's Uasin Gishu backyard.
Protests will be held in Meru, Eldoret, Laikipia, Kisumu, Kilifi and Nakuru.
In what appears to be well-coordinated scheme, posters calling on Kenyans to take to the streets emerged online with the hashtag #KenyaRev #OccupyEldoret #OccupyMeru trending for the better part of the day.
“Occupy Eldoret. Reject Finance Bill 2024. Citizens rise against over-taxation by Zakayo,” some of the posters read.
Yesterday, youthful demonstrators engaged police in running battles briefly before cops withdrew in Mombasa as they marched in the streets.
The protesters braved the rain and scolded the government for punitive tax proposals captured in the Finance Bill, 2024.
The demos came just a day after hundreds of protesters, mainly youth, demonstrated in Nairobi to pressure MPs to reject the proposed taxes. Several protesters were arrested.
With more demos planned for Thursday in various parts of the country, the President could face a headache in containing the uprising, mainly coordinated through social media platforms.
Political observers said the demos could spiral into a full-blown uprising if the state does not change tack and address Kenyans’ grievances.
“Gen Z has clearly made a debut and taken centre stage in the political landscape, changing the traditional characteristics of picketing, often with centralised command, to a new dimension of smartphones and placards,” former NCIC commissioner Prof Gitile Naituli said.
“The police could not isolate and target the leaders of the demos, and their message is crystal clear. Change course or change will change you.”
In the past, protests have been led by opposition leaders, whom the government swiftly arrested, detained and charged to contain the demos.
Political analyst Martin Andati said the demos by Generation Z must ‘seriously’ worry the President as they have the potential to render him a one-term Head of State.
“The demos have completely changed our political dynamics. They have moved away from the traditional way of mobilising protesters,” Andati said.
He added that, unlike previous demos, the new crop of protesters are organised, peaceful and are arguing public interest issues.
“These people are not hired or paid Sh200 to go and protest. They know what they are doing. Most of them are youth who supported Ruto. If they turn against him, then Ruto will lose (re-election) early in the morning,” he added.
Yesterday, protesters gathered along Mombasa's Moi Avenue at 8am in readiness for the march. The protests were called ‘OccupyMombasa.’
However, the anti-riot police officers arrived and thwarted their initial attempt to picket. The police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
“If you want to demonstrate you must bring a letter. I am the OCS and have not received any letter from you, so there will be no demonstrations,” OCS Peter Mugambi said.
However, the police later allowed the protests to continue peacefully in what appeared to have been an order from above.
Just like the Nairobi demos, Mombasa’s were coordinated through social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram.
MPs are currently debating the controversial bill that has sparked widespread uproar over the tax proposals contained therein.
Kenyans have rejected the tax proposals, which come at a time when many are struggling due to the tough economy, as punitive.
“On the Finance Bill, we have said reject, not amend. I hope our MPs have heard us. We are not going to wait until 2027, we will recall them,” a protester said in Mombasa.
On Tuesday, the government bowed to pressure and removed several tax proposals that Kenyans have termed as punitive. However, the protesters are calling for total rejection of the proposed law.
Ruto exempted bread and sugar from taxation after removing 16 per cent value-added tax on bread and VAT on the transportation of sugar.
The Finance Bill, 2024 had proposed implementing 16 per cent VAT on bread, which would have led to an approximate price increase of Sh10 for a 400g loaf.
Additionally, VAT on financial services and foreign exchange transactions has been eliminated, enhancing financial activities and reducing costs for businesses and individuals.
There will be no increase in charges for mobile money transfers, and the 2.5 per cent motor vehicle tax has been removed, likely reducing the cost of vehicle ownership and encouraging more purchases.
In a move to lower the cost of cooking oil, the excise duty on vegetable oil has also been eliminated.
Levies on the Housing Fund and Social Health Insurance Fund will now be income tax-deductible, meaning these contributions will not be taxed, thereby increasing take-home pay for employees.
At the same time, monies deducted from salaried employees' payslips for the housing levy and the SHIF will be excluded from the amount subjected to Pay As You Earn tax requirement.