Police deployed tear gas against protesters in Nairobi on Thursday as demonstrators demanded the resignation of President William Ruto, coinciding with the swearing-in of a new cabinet.
The protests, organized by activists frustrated with President Ruto, came despite his recent move to dismiss nearly all of his ministers and incorporate opposition figures into what he described as a “broad-based” government.
In response to the unrest, businesses across the Kenyan capital were largely shut down, and public transportation vehicles avoided the central business district. Police set up roadblocks on key routes into the city, and the president’s office, where the new cabinet members were being sworn in, was heavily secured.
While Nairobi experienced significant disruptions, other major towns and cities, including the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, remained relatively calm. Some residents in these areas refrained from protesting, citing the inclusion of opposition figures in the new cabinet as a reason.
Civil society organizations, along with the Law Society of Kenya, issued a joint statement calling for the protection of human rights during the demonstrations and urging police to avoid deploying plainclothes officers and unmarked vehicles.
The protests began on June 18, initially driven by opposition to a controversial finance bill that would have increased taxes amid rising living costs. The unrest escalated on June 25 when protesters stormed parliament after legislators passed the bill. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, more than 50 people have died since the protests began.
President Ruto, who ultimately sent the finance bill back to parliament after public outcry, acknowledged the concerns of Kenyans but warned that rejecting the bill could have severe revenue and expenditure implications. Despite his efforts to reshuffle the cabinet, including dismissing all but one minister, the protests have persisted, with demonstrators continuing to call for his resignation over issues of governance, corruption, and cabinet incompetence.