A protester holds a placard as a cloud of teargas surrounds him during an anti-government protests in Nairobi on July 16, 2024. Police were out in force in the centre of Kenya's capital after calls for more demonstrations against the embattled government of President William Ruto. Activists led by young Gen-Z Kenyans launched peaceful rallies a month ago against deeply unpopular tax hikes but they descended into deadly violence last month, prompting Ruto to drop the planned increases. (Photo by Kabir Dhanji / AFP)
Although economic challenges have been blamed for the ongoing protests in Kenya, the government’s tone-deaf position on many socio-political issues cannot be discounted as a factor contributing to the situation.
President William Ruto has become deeply unpopular in his two years in office over his quest to introduce taxes meant to enable Kenya to repay its $80 billion public debt to lenders, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and China.
On 23 May 2024, US President Joe Biden welcomed Ruto to the White House for a state visit. The trip was touted as a success. However, on 18 June, violent protests erupted in the capital Nairobi. They were triggered by the proposed Finance Bill 2024.
Frustration over the tax bill, which would raise the cost of living for an already strained population, exploded into violence.
The pomp and ceremony with which Ruto and his entourage were received at the White House did not make it easy for the government. Most Kenyans were infuriated by the visuals, particularly Generation Z, who viewed the occasion as extravagant at the expense of Kenyans.
Historical ties between the US and Kenya continue to play a role and are important to bear in mind when looking to understand these protests. Ruto, like many of his generation, still reveres the US and will do whatever it takes to be accepted by it.
The relationship between the US and Kenya dates back decades. In the sixties, Tom Mboya, a dynamic young Kenyan leader, visited Senator John F Kennedy. The visit culminated in a campaign that eventually brought hundreds of African students to the US for higher education. Among those students was Barack Obama Sr, the former president’s father.
Many of them returned very Americanised, including wearing Stetsons and with an appreciation of country music. These are still prominent cultural traits of the East African elite. It therefore gave Ruto “a sense of accomplishment … to be hosted by Joe Biden in the White House” argues Sud Haider, former Al Jazeera journalist based in Nairobi.
Furthermore, the visit to the US by Ruto and his entourage was part of his self – preservation plan. He needed to cleanse himself of past allegations of crimes against humanity. He also needed acknowledgement from the US of his political achievements as a democratic leader.
Ruto has been an outcast and pariah for much of his political life. While deputy president, he faced charges over the violence following the 2007 election which saw 1 300 people killed. Ruto, together with former president Uhuru Kenyatta, was indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Obama’s state visit to Kenya in 2015 to an extent removed political doubt cast on Kenyatta. Furthermore, it confirmed what had already been pronounced by the court — that he was not involved in the political violence which led to hundreds of deaths in 2007.
Ruto needed the same vote of confidence and endorsement from the US. The invitation to the White House was paramount in that regard. While there, Ruto also managed to appease the US by agreeing to deploy over 1 000 Kenyan troops to Haiti. The deployment aims to alleviate the escalating crisis that has gripped Haiti since the assassination of former president Jovenel Moïse in 2023.
Kenya, like many governments in Africa, remains tone-deaf to the realities on the ground, particularly the aspirations of Gen Z. Increasingly, Gen Z, throughout Africa, is calling for economic and socio-political inclusion. They are also calling for their respective governments to do more to eradicate unemployment.
According to Statista.com, the unemployment rate in Kenya is estimated to be 6.61% — 1.76 million people. The employment rate in Kenya is forecasted to be 66.86% in 2024.
Importantly, Gen Z does not revere the US as past generations did; they view the US as part and parcel of their economic woes.
Ruto and his government underestimated the politicisation of Gen Z and its readiness to protest. Internet penetration and online exposure has changed the political reality in Kenya. In addition, Gen Z in Kenya continues to be inspired by the political involvement of their counterparts in other parts of Africa, particularly South Africa.
The South African youth’s participation in politics, and in other spheres of the economy, is beginning to resonate far and wide in Africa. Gen Z in Kenya wants to be part of the country’s socio-political and political decision-making processes.
Although concessions have been made, and the demands of the protestors met by the government, they are determined to continue their demonstrations until the president resigns. They are also calling for the government to account for the disappearances and deaths of protestors.
William Ruto will have to be careful about how he deals with the protestors this time around. He has to avoid a repeat of the 2007 mass killing of civilians, of which the International Criminal Court accused him of being responsible.
Thembisa Fakude is a senior research fellow at Africa Asia Dialogues and chief executive officer at the Mail & Guardian.