Nairobi – Despite President William Ruto’s decision to dismiss nearly his entire cabinet following nationwide protests by young people, the anti-government demonstrations have evolved into demands for his resignation.
The Kenyan government has repeatedly rejected these calls, frequently deploying aggressive police tactics in response.
Protesters have also demanded that members of parliament be dismissed for years of misgovernment.
They condemned members of the National Assembly for approving the contentious 2024 Finance Bill, which many Kenyans view as harsh and indifferent to ordinary citizens.
The demonstrators issued other demands too, including the repeal of recent tax increases, which Ruto has agreed to meet.
The president appointed 11 replacement ministers on Friday, six of whom served in the previous cabinet. The crucial post at the head of the finance ministry, however, remains empty.
Protest ban blocked
Attempts by authorities to stop the protests have been unsuccessful so far. On Thursday, a Kenyan court blocked a police move to ban protests in the centre of the capital, Nairobi.
Kenya's acting police chief Douglas Kanja had announced late Wednesday that no demonstrations would be allowed in Nairobi's central business district and surroundings "to ensure public safety".
The area has been the epicentre of many of the marches and the scene of violent and sometimes deadly chaos – particularly on 25 June, when protesters stormed parliament and police fired live bullets at demonstrators.
But a Nairobi High Court judge on Thursday issued a "conservatory order" to prevent the ban from being enforced, pending a final ruling on the case.
The court said it will hold another hearing on 29 July.
Economic risks
Ruto has been scrambling to contain the worst crisis of his nearly two-year rule.
Businesses in major Kenyan towns remained closed as business owners feared looting, and analysts warn that continued demonstrations could lead to severe economic problems.
They argue that business operations have already been hindered for weeks, potentially leading to a significant economic downturn affecting not only the Kenyan shilling but also infrastructure and other amenities.
In response to the protests, Ruto has called for a six-day national dialogue.
He said that the dialogue would include 150 representatives from all sectors of society, including young people, religious leaders and civil organisations.
But protesters rejected the appeal, saying their demands were clear and did not require discussion.
'Excessive force'
Meanwhile rights watchdogs have accused the government of abducting and killing protesters as they exercised their democratic rights.
The Kenya constitution "guarantees every person the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket, and present petitions to public authorities peacefully and unarmed", Amnesty International Kenya said in a statement describing "unnecessary and excessive force" on the part of law enforcement.
Human rights organisation Haki Africa called for police to be held accountable for extrajudicial violence.
It urged political leaders to listen to young people, who show no signs of abandoning the protests.
