What is the way forward?
Following the President’s announcement on Wednesday 26th June stating that he had withdrawn the protested Finance Bill 2024, protesters were left confused about how the announcement would affect the scheduled protest that was to happen on Thursday, 27th June.
Speaking in a people’s assembly hosted last evening on X Space, many expressed that they no longer saw the need to continue with the protests, given that they had already realised their goal. They opted to march in remembrance of lives lost during the protests instead.
On the other hand, other attendees reiterated that they would go on protesting as scheduled, with the goal of occupying State House.
Similarly, there were rising concerns that the Finance Bill 2024 could still easily pass into law if the Speaker of the National Assembly failed to hold a special sitting within 14 days.
This divergence of opinions resulted in a flood of mixed messages on X, with protesters left in a state of confusion that carried over into the early hours of Thursday morning.
Despite heavy KDF presence in Nairobi’s CBD and heavy police presence in other towns like Eldoret, Thursday morning remained fairly calm.
However, the day quickly turned awry as protests began in various regions across the country.
Protesters once again took to the streets in Homa Bay, Eldoret, Kisii, Kajiado, Mombasa and Nairobi, with the Nairobi protests quickly escalating to the use of live bullets and tear gas by police.
Live bullets were deployed in Ngara and Rongai, and innocent citizens walking along Museum Hill were forced to prostrate on the ground and be searched by police.
These developments saw protesters back in the streets once again, with a huge crowd witnessed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area this evening.
In light of the ongoing protests and expression of dissatisfaction on social media, ODM MP Daniel Manduku has called for the dissolution of parliament and the reconstitution of the cabinet in order to restore democratic integrity.
In response to calls for a special session, Attorney General Justin Muturi stated that he saw no need to call for a special sitting since the President had already rejected the bill in its entirety.
The question remains: what is the way forward?
By Neema Odhiambo.
