Kenyan President William Ruto said on Sunday he had no “no blood on hands” after the deadly day of anti-government demonstrations on June 25, which according to him left 19 dead, a death toll lower than that of human rights organizations.
This is the first official report given for this day of mobilization marked by the storming by demonstrators of Parliament, which had just voted on a criticized 2024-25 budget project introducing tax increases. The police then fired live ammunition into the crowd.
The next day, saying he had heard the anger, the president announced the withdrawal of the text. This choice will have “very serious (economic) consequences”to have you William Ruto tomorrow.
During a two-hour interview on Kenyan television, the president reported a death toll of 19 people.
“I have no blood on my hands”he said, promising “an investigation into how these 19 Kenyans died”.
On Saturday, the NGO Human Rights Watch said it had recorded at least 31 deaths in several cities across the country.
The official human rights agency (KNHRC) had previously reported 22 people killed and a group of local NGOs, including the Kenyan branch of Amnesty International, 23 dead. “caused by police shooting”.
“The police did their best”said William Ruto, reaffirming that “criminals infiltrated and wreaked havoc”.
Candles lit in tribute to the victims of anti-government protests, June 30, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya / SIMON MAINA / AFP
“Those who attacked Parliament and judicial institutions are on video surveillance. Many of them are on the run, but we will catch them. (…) Any police killer who went beyond what is provided for by law will be punished”he added.
Mobilization Tuesday
On Sunday, several hundred people – mostly young people – marched peacefully in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in tribute to the victims of the movement.
They then walked around chanting « Ruto Must go » (“Ruto must go”) and « Tuesday Holiday » (“Tuesday public holiday”), in reference to the next day of mobilization planned for Tuesday.
Born in mid-June on social networks, this opposition to the draft budget strongly mobilized young people, before drawing Kenyans of all ages into its wake.
A march in tribute to the victims of the anti-government protests, June 30, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya / SIMON MAINA / AFP
The anti-tax slogan has turned into a protest against President Ruto who, since coming to power in 2022, has created and increased several taxes and duties which have hit Kenyans’ purchasing power hard.
These painful measures are necessary, according to him, to give the heavily indebted country some room for maneuver.
“Two years back”
Withdraw the draft budget, “this means that we have gone back almost two years and that this year, we are going to borrow 1,000 billion shillings (7 billion euros, editor’s note) to be able to run the government”he stressed, mentioning in particular negative consequences in the sectors of agriculture and education.
“We should have communicated better” on the text, he estimated: “If I am given the opportunity to explain to the Kenyan people what the draft budget was about and what it would have delivered to them, then Kenyans would agree with me”.
Mr Ruto also reiterated that steps would be taken to reduce “opulence and extravagance” in the state’s lifestyle, saying he was ready to reduce his own salary.
Kenya, one of East Africa’s fastest growing economies, recorded inflation of 5.1% year-on-year in May.
Its public debt stands at around 10,000 billion shillings (71 billion euros), or around 70% of GDP.
