NAIROBI, Kenya, June 24 – Chants of ‘Ruto Must Go’ reverberated through nightclubs across cities and major towns in Kenya as Generation Z took their campaign against the Finance Bill 2024 to a new level.
Videos shared on social media showed nightclubs in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Eldoret, as well as in major towns like Kericho, Narok, and Naivasha, erupting into ‘Ruto Must Go’ and ‘Reject the Finance Bill’ chants around midnight on Saturday. This marked an intensified push to urge the Kenya Kwanza government to drop the Bill.
In what appeared to be well-coordinated night protests, Disk Jockeys (DJs) in the nightclubs halted the music to lead revelers in the chants. For between 15 to 30 minutes, clubs like Timba XO and Tamasha in Eldoret, Space Next Door and Platinum 7D in Nakuru City, were filled with loud chants against the Bill and the president.
What started last week as an outcry on TikTok over the controversial Finance Bill has transformed into a revolt, likely to sustain a political conscience aimed at defending the Constitution. The protests have spread beyond the streets of Nairobi to other cities and towns, reaching social places as demonstrated on Saturday night.
The nightclub protest was organized and mobilized on social media through a Space chat on Twitter on Saturday morning. Titus Odhiambo, alias DJ Montana, faced disruptions during his planned nonstop music night in Kitale, as both intoxicated and sober revelers interrupted with their chants.
In video clips and photos posted on social media, rowdy youths were seen chanting ‘Ruto must Go!’ in nightclubs in Nairobi, Eldoret, Thika, Narok, and other counties. In one clip from a Westlands Club, a DJ led the youths in a Swahili song, asking, “What will separate me from Jesus Christ, is it the Finance Bill?” to which the revelers responded, “No, we have totally refused.”
The DJ then played Juliani’s ‘Utawala,’ a song depicting a hungry Kenyan fighting against corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and discrimination. In another clip from Thika, nightclub promoters displayed an animation screen with ‘Reject Finance Bill’ signs as they moved around the venue.
At Tamasha Lounge in Eldoret, Uasin Ngishu County, youths chanted ‘Ruto must go’ for almost five minutes as the music stopped. Similarly, in Suswa, Narok, they observed a one-minute silence in solidarity with Generation Z’s efforts against the Finance Bill.
Another clip from Nairobi showed a DJ ordering the electric lights to be switched off, before instructing the youths to use their mobile phone lights. He then played the national anthem as youths passionately sang along.
“They have abused us as youths, and now is the time for us to stand up and fight back because this is our country, and we are not going anywhere,” the DJ was heard saying.
The chants and protests followed a ‘7 Days of Rage’ poster outlining actions to be taken by protesting Kenyans leading up to the main protest on Tuesday. Plans included singing anti-Ruto chants and patriotic songs at midnight in all nightclubs for about 10 minutes.
Another poster, ‘Reject Hour,’ instructed all nightclubs to stop music from 11:59 PM to 12:09 AM, paving the way for ‘Reject Finance Bill’ chants. Kenyans observed the 10-minute protest session by either remaining silent, singing protest songs, or singing the national anthem.
At Cavalli in Nairobi, revelers joined in singing Eric Wainaina’s classic ‘Daima.’ Even at a local pub in Karatina, patrons stood up and chanted, “Reject Finance Bill.” At Platinum 7D in Nakuru, DJ Grauchi initiated the protest with Juliani’s ‘Utawala.’ At Yacht Lounge in Mtwapa, DJ Joe Mfalme led a moment of silence for murdered protester Rex Kanyike.
Viona Nyambura, a reveler, expressed her pride in being Kenyan and her sense of purpose in participating in the protest. “Today was different. It didn’t feel like a normal nightclub routine, and we felt the togetherness of Kenyans as we joined hands in chanting against the Finance Bill,” she said.
