Many Kenyans had in solidarity, attended a concert in the nation’s capital city, Nairobi on Sunday, dancing and chanting slogans and dancing, to pay tribute to the over three dozen people killed in the recent anti-government protests.
About 39 people were killed in the protests that began on June 18. The protesters had clamoured for the planned tax hikes to be discarded and William Ruto to tender in his resignation letter.
As the protests mounted in June, Ruto scrapped the finance bill, which would have established a raft of new taxes that Kenyans have said would have raised the already inflated cost of living.
President Ruto had on Friday, proposed fresh moderate measures including reducing the number of his advisers and the disbandment of 47 state corporations to help fill a budget gap caused by the withdrawal of the tax hikes, that were due to raise $2.7 billion.
The concert was held on Saba Saba Day, July 7, which marks the day in 1990 when almost identical protests began that ultimately forced the government of the late leader Daniel Arap Moi to return the country to multi-party politics.
What They’re Saying
Activist Boniface Mwangi, who was attending the concert, had said.
“The government is listening now because of the protests. So we are kind of happy, but there’s also a lot of sadness because so many people died for the government to listen,”“So we’re also mourning, and we’re telling the families of those who lost their loved ones, we’re with you, and we shall honour their sacrifice.” He stated.
