NAIROBI - Protests continued in major cities and towns in Kenya, even after President William Ruto withdrew the unpopular finance bill that triggered the deadly demonstrations.
Some protesters have turned their attention to Ruto’s resignation, and are calling for the president to step down. Chants of “Ruto must go!” featured heavily in Thursday’s protests.
Military vehicles were seen passing through the streets of Nairobi as protesters marched peacefully alongside them.
The killings of at least 23 demonstrators, and a series of abductions, have fueled negative sentiment against Ruto within the protest movement, which is made up primarily of Gen Z and millennial Kenyans. The Kenya Human Rights Commission has called for an inquiry into the deaths.
Opposition lawmaker Daniel Manduku has called for the reconstitution of the electoral commission, Ruto’s resignation, and the dissolution of parliament, which would pave the way for fresh elections within 90 days. Ruto came to office in 2022 to serve a five-year term. The opposition coalition Azimio had previously called for Ruto’s resignation on Tuesday.
“On Tuesday, they came to take back their power,” Manduku said of protesters who stormed parliament earlier this week. “We must call a spade a spade. I want to ask Kenyans not to allow their elected leaders to go back there, even myself included.”
