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There is an outrage in Kenya as citizens gave President William Ruto a 48-hour ultimatum to step down, demanding a new government committed to “transparency, accountability, and good governance.”
The call for resignation has gained significant traction, with a viral Twitter statement stating, “We no longer recognise William Ruto as the President of Kenya. We recall his presidency and urge him to immediately resign and surrender his office to the Kenyan people.”
This statement has generated lots of engagement, reflecting widespread discontent.
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Regardless of President Ruto retracting a controversial finance bill that proposed tax increases, public outrage continues to prevail.
The bill, which was intended to address Kenya’s debt of approximately 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), or roughly 70% of GDP, faced fierce opposition.
Ruto highlighted that without the tax increases, there would be a significant funding shortfall for critical development programmes, including those supporting farmers and teachers.
Kenyans are said to have struggled with economic instability, rampant corruption, and governance issues, leading to escalating living costs and high unemployment rates.
The public’s frustration has climaxed into protests and a fervent demand for change.
Scores of protesters took to the streets, expressing their dissatisfaction with the administration, which they describe as plagued by “incompetence, mismanagement, and a persistent failure to address the nation’s pressing needs.”
Kenyan police were said to have fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators while soldiers were deployed and roads leading to Ruto’s office at State House and parliament were blocked by police in anti-riot gear.
In other news, the party of Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said Thursday that his convoy was attacked a day earlier while he was campaigning for upcoming parliamentary elections.
The West African nation is due to vote in snap legislative polls on November 17 after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament in September.
Sonko was unharmed in Wednesday’s attack, but a former minister and head of a party allied to Sonko’s Pastef party suffered a broken arm, according to local media reports.
