The protests, which have drawn tens of thousands of people into the streets in Kenya for weeks, were born online, when citizens rallied on Twitter to oppose controversial proposals to increase taxes and fees. The Finance Bill, first introduced in Parliament in May, would have eliminated VAT exemptions on basic products such as bread, diapers, sanitary napkins and detergent, increased taxes on mobile money transfers and introduced a new annual tax on motor vehicles. The bill sparked widespread public criticism; many of its original proposals were withdrawn, but activists insisted the entire bill be scrapped.
Citizens shared phone numbers of lawmakers and IMF officials, sent thousands of messages urging the rejection of the Finance Bill, and ultimately took to the streets in cities and towns across the country. Last week, despite growing protests, a majority of lawmakers voted in favor of passing the bill. Still, the protests continued. One of the strengths of the movement so far has been its organic nature, with many ordinary Kenyans, activists, influencers and celebrities creating different types of content and sharing calls to action. More than 1.4 million tweets were recorded under the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024.
TikTok and X have become the go-to platforms for many Kenyans trying to follow the protests, reflecting the nature of the protests themselves. In a country with relatively high internet access and widespread smartphone use, Gen Z and millennials have been the main participants in the protests so far. About 75 percent of Kenya’s population is under 35 years old, and the median age is 19.
The protesters’ social media broadcast reached a Kenyan record 60,000 live viewers and 1.2 million total views. Protesters used the seven-hour broadcast to discuss the bill and previous protests, coordinate further actions, and demand the release of arrested protesters.
The protests continued relatively peacefully, but last Wednesday the revolt turned bloody when protesters tried to enter the Kenyan parliament. Some lawmakers had to flee through a tunnel as hundreds of demonstrators gathered around the parliament, chanting slogans such as “We come for all politicians”. Police then came to the scene and violently intervened against the protesters. Nearly 20 demonstrators were reported dead and nearly 100 injured. Kenyan leader William Ruto previously said he wanted to engage in dialogue with the protesters and was “proud” of them. In response to the incident, he announced that he would veto the law passed by parliament and send it back.
odatv.com
