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Ugandan police officers detain protestors during a rally against what the protesters say are rampant corruption and human rights abuses by the country's rulers in Kampala, Uganda July 23, 2024.
Kenyan-inspired protests spread across Africa
Kenyan President William Rutonominated four opposition ministers to his new “broad-based” cabinet on Wednesday to appease growing government dissatisfaction – a move that's already being labeled a corrupt bribe by protesters. Earlier this month, Ruto fired most of his cabinet after weeks of student-led protests against proposed tax hikes and government corruption led to 50 deaths and calls for his resignation.
Wednesday's move came after last week’s appointment of 11 ministers – six of whom had been in the previous cabinet – drawing concerns that Ruto’s pledges for radical change were just words and that he will continue to choose personal politics over national interests. Protesters have been urged to accept Ruto’s concessions and engage in constructive dialogue, but demonstrations continue as Ruto refuses to step down.
New Kenyan-inspired protests. These calls for change are now being echoed across the continent. In Uganda, youths inspired by their Kenyan counterparts have taken to the streets in anti-corruption protests – a move authoritarian President Yoweri Museveniwarned was “playing with fire.” Ugandan forces besieged the activists’ headquarters on Monday, and authorities arrested more than 40 people – including three opposition lawmakers – at banned protests the following day.
Hoping to mirror the successes of Kenyan protests, young Nigerians have also taken to social media to organize a demonstration on Aug. 1 against the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has called on youths not to join the “sinister” protests, as the government begs for more time to address economic hardships.
Kenya's President William Ruto speaks at a press conference where he announced spending cuts in government after protests againstKenya's proposed finance bill 2024/2025, in Nairobi, Kenya, July 5, 2024.
Kenyan president fires cabinet in bid to retain power
In the wake of mass protests over proposed tax increases that turned deadly last month, Kenyan President William Ruto fired the bulk of his cabinet on Thursday, signaling that he’s willing to make radical changes.
Protests broke out in June in response to a finance bill passed by parliament to raise over $2 billion in taxes. The demonstrators brought chaos to Nairobi, killing 39 people and breaching the nation’s parliament building. The violence forced Ruto to abandon the bill, and he’s been implementing a series of measures to reduce government spending. With his cabinet reshuffle — he sacked all but his deputy president and prime cabinet secretary — Ruto hopes to quell angry protests calling for his resignation by showing he’s listening and willing to be more flexible.
Ruto said he would “immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government,” which could mean the possible inclusion of opposition parties in the new government.
What now? Cash-strapped Kenya will be forced to dig into other country’s pockets, widening their already worrisome foreign deficit amid a worsening cost-of-living crisis. And although protesters celebrated this as a victory, Kenyans have demonstrated that they are happy to take to the streets when they’re unhappy.
Eurasia Group analyst Imani Jaoko explains this may be enough to stop the protests, but one “can’t rule out the prospect that future missteps could galvanize the protesters ... who seem pleasantly surprised by their newfound power and are keen to build on it.”