NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 20 – Thousands of protesters flooded Nairobi’s Central Business District on Thursday for the second phase of anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, aiming to pressure legislators to reject the proposed Bill, which they describe as punitive.
The protests saw demonstrators engaging in running battles with security agents throughout the day, extending well into the night. By 8 pm, smoke was visible in parts of the city, and vehicles avoided active protest areas, leaving many travellers stranded.
Throughout the day, relentless protesters made several attempts to breach police defenses to access Parliament but were unsuccessful. In Nairobi’s Wabera Street, they engaged police for hours without backing down. Water cannons were deployed to disperse the protesters, but they continually regrouped and resumed their demonstrations.
As the police ran out of tear gas and water, they decided to change their tactics, allowing the protesters to air their views. When asked about their motivations, many protesters expressed their desire for a better future and criticized the government for ignoring their voices and oppressing them.
“This administration has made life difficult for some of us. It has ignored our voices and continues to oppress us without care,” a protester told Capital News. The demonstrators vowed not to relent in their fight for their rights, chanting, “We will not stop. We will soldier on.”
Unlike Tuesday, when police arrested hundreds of protesters and appeared to use excessive force, they exercised more restraint during Thursday’s protests. However, as the evening wore on and protesters continued their push to “Occupy Parliament,” Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome issued a statement saying the National Police Service (NPS) would not allow them to access critical government buildings.
“With utmost respect to the provisions of Article 37 of the Constitution stipulating the right of citizens to assemble, demonstrate, and picket, the Service will neither condone nor approve efforts by demonstrators to either occupy critical government infrastructure including Parliament Buildings, or disrupt the ongoing Parliamentary proceedings,” IG Koome said.
Despite the protests, the controversial Finance Bill 2024 passed its second reading in the National Assembly on Thursday, with 204 votes in favour and 115 against. The result has angered many Kenyans, particularly the youth, who have been protesting since Tuesday.
