By Brian Okoth
Police in Kenya have outlawed three-day protests scheduled for Wednesday to Friday this week.
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said on Tuesday that the opposition, which has organised the mass action, has not notified police of the events, hence making the planned demonstrations illegal.
“While Kenya’s Constitution gives the right to assemble, demonstrate and picket, lessons from recent similar demonstrations that left trails of destruction of property, injuries and loss of lives, clearly indicate that such demonstrations are nothing but a threat to national security,” Koome said in a statement.
“In line with the National Police Service’s mandate to maintain law and order, protect life and property; and preserve peace, we wish to inform the public that any demonstrations that will be held in any part of Kenya on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 will be dealt with promptly in accordance with law,” he added.
According to the police chief, the planners of the protests “have not notified the police of such gatherings”, which is “contrary to Kenya’s law.”
The police pronouncement comes a day after Kenya's High Court declined to block the planned demonstrations.
Opposition remains bullish
Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga has remained adamant that the protests will take place. He termed the demonstrations “game-changing” on his Twitter page on Monday.
“The peaceful protests planned for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week are on as earlier declared by our leadership,” the main opposition coalition, Azimio la Umoja led by Odinga, said in a statement on Monday.
The protests have been held recently to push the government to withdraw new taxes that the opposition terms punitive.
The value added tax (VAT) on fuel has since been raised to 16% from 8% previously. The Finance Act 2023 also introduced a 1.5% housing levy on employed Kenyans, and also increased the income tax on persons earning more than Ksh500,000 ($3,500) monthly from 30% to 35%. Digital content creators will also cede 5% of their monthly earnings to the state.
When President William Ruto assumed office on September 13, 2022, he removed fuel and food subsidies introduced by his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, consequently leading to a spike in the prices of fuel and foodstuffs. He had capitalised on pro-poor messaging to secure election victory against Odinga.
‘We are on our own’
“How can the raising of taxes on fuel from 8 to 16% be classified as an effort to lower the cost of living? We call on Kenyans to wake up to the reality that we are on our own, and we have to fight for ourselves,” Azimio la Umoja said.
At least 20 people have been killed over the past two weeks in the opposition-led protests, with most of the victims succumbing to gunshot injuries.
Ruto says the government needs to raise more revenue from the taxes to avoid overdependence on loans.
The president further accuses Odinga of attempting to seek unofficial role in government through the use of blackmail.
“Elections ended August 9 last year. You cannot look for the leadership of this country using the blood of the citizens, the death of the citizens and the destruction of property,” Ruto said at the opening of a road in the town of Naivasha last Friday.
The Kenyan leader has vowed to mobilise all security resources to repulse the protesters on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The Kenyan government has projected it loses at least Ksh3 billion ($21 million) on each protest day to looters and vandals.
