by Eugene Walker
“President Ruto is not democratic. He doesn’t want to listen to the people. He is a dictator.”
—Dominic Mbuthia
On Saba Saba (Swahili for Seven Seven) day this year—a day commemorating a July 7, 1990, uprising marking the start of Kenya’s multiparty democracy—demonstrators marched in protests. They were calling for the resignation of the autocratic government of President William Ruto. Demonstrations were held in 20 of Kenya’s 43 counties. The police responded by killing 31, wounding hundreds, and arresting over 500. The Law Society of Kenya and Police Reforms Working Group reported: “[H]eavily armed police with military grade weapons were deployed in violation of court orders, using masks and unmarked vehicles to conceal their identities.” That tactic is now being used in the U.S. by ICE.
DEMONSTRATIONS ARE ONGOING
Kenyan anti-tax protestors in 2024. Photo: Capital FM Kenya, CC BY 3.0
These demonstrations were not the first. On June 25, youth held a protest against police brutality and corruption. Sixteen were killed. In turn, that demonstration was called to commemorate last year’s youth protests that began against proposed tax hikes: “I’ve come here as a Kenyan youth to protest. It is our right for the sake of our fellow Kenyans who were killed last year. The police are here … they are supposed to protect us, but they kill us,” said 24-year-old Eve.
It is the youths’ protests that the government fears the most and are seeking to quell. They were massive last year and were dishonestly called “treasonous events” by President Ruto. They have now re-emerged.
In response the government is seeking to intimidate Kenyan youth. Earlier this June a young blogger, Albert Ojwang, was arrested. They took him miles away to a police station and beat him to death. Protests followed. The struggle of the youth continues as does our solidarity.