The Kenyan government has closed down schools in its capital and two other areas on Wednesday, July 19 as the country gears up for three days of demonstrations against the high cost of living. President Ruto has, however, declared that no protest would in the country.
Already, two rounds of protests earlier this month had plummeted into violence when police fired tear gas and live rounds at the demonstrating crowds.
About 15 people were killed, and hundreds had been arrested.
Kenya’s opposition had encouraged the protests partly because of tax hikes adopted in June by President William Ruto’s administration.
Ruto who had been elected in August 2022 had promised to champion the interests of the poor, but the price of basic commodities have spiralled under his administration.
The government had said that the fuel and housing levies, expected to raise an extra 200 billion shillings ($1.4 billion) a year, are required to help deal with increasing debt repayments and to stock job-creation initiatives.
Several civil rights groups and churches have demanded for Ruto and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga to settle their differences through dialogue and stop the protests.
Opposition leader, Odinga had failed to win the last five presidential ballots, but he had gone on to secure senior positions in government in the past by making deals with those in power.
Meanwhile, President Ruto had on Friday accused Odinga of trying to leverage the dissatisfaction over the state of the economy to achieve his personal political goals.
