Tuesday is expected to witness another round of protests in what organisers say is to pile pressure on the government to take accountability for the lives lost during the previous mass disobedience sparked by the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024.
President William Ruto has since the first Occupy Parliament protests on June 18 ceded ground and instituted a number of drastic measures including withdrawal of the Bill and firing his entire Cabinet save for one minister but this has done little to appease the youthful demonstrators popularly known as Gen Z.
Activist Boniface Mwangi Monday evening confirmed that the peaceful protests will go down as planned until the government takes some form of responsibility for the deceased protesters.
“So let’s not think we have won anything yet because we don’t have anything tangible we can say we have won. Why can’t the President call the families of those who died and apologise because he hasn’t done any of that,” Mwangi said.
The government has acknowledged that at least 25 protesters died during the protests although the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) put the death toll at 41 and 360 injuries.
Speaking virtually on town hall dialogue organised by Africa Uncensored, Mwangi who has been at the forefront of the anti-government protests said it’s going to be a long-drawn fight until justice is served for the victims.
“The thing is what we are asking for at this particular stage is justice for the victims, we need compensation for the victims and all the alleged killer cops prosecuted,” he said.
“We are also saying that the housing levy needs to be scrapped, bring back NHIF we don’t want this SHIF thing. The problem we have is that if we leave the streets, he will not listen to us,” Mwangi added.
Mercy, another speaker at the town hall dialogue also attended by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, said what they are asking for goes beyond the mere act of taking accountability on the government’s side.
“One life lost is one too many,” she said, adding that “repentance without restitution is just hot air”.
“We cannot afford to play a game of numbers when it comes to people’s lives. We cannot come and ask whether it was 40 people or whether it was one person, 15 or 30 people," she said.
The protesters, she added, also want the President to go over and beyond sacking his Cabinet and hold the dismissed office holders accountable for any commission or omission on their end.
She said they will not applaud the sacking of the Cabinet and stop at that.
"We cannot clap for fish for swimming, that's what it's supposed to do," she said.
Mwangi said those who won't be able to be part of the protests should stay home in solidarity of the protests.
"As Omtatah said, the streets are the biggest stage you can ever have because when you destruct people's lives, the government listens and that's why the Constitution gives the right to protest."
