By Adongo Ogony June 26, 2024
And with lunatics like this Ruto has a very good support base. I mean how the heck did these kind of people get elected into government.
A lot of very interesting developments are emerging on the Zakayo Shuka revolution going on in the country as we speak. One thing is that the religious institutions have seen the light and they are now hand in hand with the youth for a better Kenya.
These young Kenyans are opening our eyes to a new country that most Kenyans want to see. A country where your tribe does not matter and every Kenyan is entitled to same rights. A country where political errand boys are being made irrelevant as they are chased all over the country and have nowhere to hide. A country where sycophancy to State House is no longer a gift but a life and career threatening abomination.
It is a country where the Ruto boys are now begging for forgiveness from the youth saying “They are our children”
No they are not your children, Ruto boys, you are their children because they are teaching you something about life and politics.
MP Kimani Ichungwa changes tune, supports Gen-Z peaceful protests
National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichungwah has congratulated Gen Z for participating in peaceful protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
Speaking during an event on Sunday June 23, 2024, Ichungwah who is the Kikuyu member of parliament noted that he was very encouraged by the peaceful protests by the young generation in different parts of the country.
Initially, the Kikuyu MP had been opposing the street protests, terming the ‘occupy parliament’ protestors idlers who were being misused by some selfish politicians.
“Our Gen Z have rallied around issues of concern rather than tribe or ethnicity. This is great for our nation. The Gen Z‘s are setting an example that all leaders should aspire to follow,” said Kimani Ichung’wa.
He added that the Kenyan youth have a big say in the affairs of the country, and he was very happy with Gen-Z for organizing peaceful protests.
“That the young generation, Gen-Z, are now very conscious of the affairs of their state and they are taking charge. I want to congratulate them,” he added.
According to the Kikuyu MP, Gen Z have redefined picketing and demonstration, as being non-violent yet firm.
MP John KJ Kiarie pens heartfelt apology letter to Kenyans
Dagoretti South MP John Waweru Kiarie has penned a heartfelt letter to Kenyans, apologising for the comments he made regarding the protests against the Finance Bill 2024, and the authenticity of certain images.
The lawmaker attracted the public ire after his remarks on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday, in which he claimed that the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations were fake and that the photos shared online were doctored.
Proclaiming himself to be a specialist in photography and able to spot a photo that had been digitally manipulated, MP Kiarie informed the House that several of the images that had been widely circulated online in the wake of Tuesday’s protests were, in fact, old photos that had been obtained from different protests throughout the globe.
In his letter, he states, ” I truly apologize for comments I made regarding the protests and the authenticity of certain images. In the heat of the moment, during the debate on the finance bill, my words were unnecessary, misguided, and insensitive,”
He further states that he deeply regrets his utterances which came out before “a reflection and understanding the anger that stems from decades of many unresolved, but very pertinent national issues and frustration that exists in the nation.”
“Having been a part of movements clamouring for social justice and good governance in the past, I acknowledge the importance of vigilance and also popular agitation for a better Kenya,” he added.
“I appreciate and celebrate the courage and creativity shown by the younger generation in advocating for change through innovative channels and platforms including social media and other emerging technologies.”
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I TRULY APOLOGISE for the comments I made regarding the protests and the authenticity of certain images. In the heat of the moment during the debate on the finance bill, my words were unnecessary, misguided and insensitive.
The next big step right now is for Kenyans to hunt down all those MPs who voted to support the atrocious Ruto Finance Bill 2024 and demand they vote No next time. Don’t commit any acts of violence against the MPs but make it clear to them that their time is up if they vote Yes again. From the looks of it the MPs who voted Yes are already ashamed and embarrassed by their vote. They know their voters whether in Mt. Kenya, Ukambani, Coast, Northern Kenya, Luhya land or even among the Kelenjin communities do not support their vote and will throw them out of office.
The MPs who voted Yes can feel the heat and they know another Yes Vote means the next war goes to State House to deal with Ruto signing the Finance Bill 2024 and that will be a battle for the ages.
State House battles are very complicated and I have there before. The first as the Secretary General of the Students Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) I was asked to go to State House to present a petition to dictator Moi against one party law. Three of us were given the job by SONU. It was David Murathe, Onyango Akello and myself who were given the petition to take to State House.
State House is very near the main campus so we thought it was going to be easy to get there. It is not because there are so many turns and blocks but we finally got there and the officer in charge at the gate told us to sit down. He asked us if we are sure we are not insane. We told him we are very normal and are students at Nairobi University.
Then the officer told us we have one minute to leave the place or we will get shot and killed. We told him we just have a petition. Then we saw the cops getting ready with their guns and we gave him the petition and run out for dear life.
Second time I was at State House was really difficult. I just got out of prison in March 1983 after Moi dropped the charges against us and we had spent one year at Nairobi Area Remand Prison.
So I go back to campus and become the editor of Sauti Ya Kamkunji our student publication with the help of Shirazi Duranni a librarian at Main campus. That is pretty much the same thing I am doing with Hivi Punde right now.
Then Mwandawiro Mghanga then SONU chairman also out of jail and a very good friend and comrade tells me we have to go and meet Moi at State House. First time I told him I am not going there unless political prisoners like Titus Adungosi the SONU chairman and Onyango Oloo are released.
Mwandawiro Mghanga insisted I have to come with him to State House. I said okay and went there and actually shook hands with Moi as I was wearing my student T shirt with signs against him. I am sure Moi didn’t like me there.
Then the event started with Moi giving his usual State House speech. They gave Mwandawiro Mghanga the platform to speak and it was going vey well until Mwandawiro mentioned political prisoners. Moi stood up and said. “Wacha Hapo”
Mwandawiro refused to stop and was stopped from speaking. At that time my crew decided to leave State House. It is very difficult to leave that place but we did and went straight to Nation House where we gave them the complete statement from Mwandawiro and it was in the news the next day. The students and the whole country was very happy with Mwandawiro Mghanga. He didn’t even know what we did at the News Media but when he met us we were very happy.
So yes, I have been at State House and it is very difficult. Kenyans will take their State House one day. No question about that.
One thing that has completely stunned the country is that Raila Odinga is not in these demos and the reason William Ruto so vigorously supported him for the AUC job is that there would be no more mass actions in Kenya against Ruto and then all of a sudden Kenya has the most deadly protests in the country against the Ruto regime. This happened because the nation is awake and very alert on their needs as citizens. President William Ruto is in a lot of trouble. The citizens love their country and they will not put up with dictatorship from anybody.
What is going to happen is that a lot of those Ruto compromised MPs are going to avoid showing up in parliament on Tuesday for the big vote. They are scared. The Azimio MPs have to show up and vote No to this Ruto crazy budget. Time is up.
The one thing that the Gen Z group has to avoid is some fake meeting with Ruto because it will lead to nothing. Ruto must first of all withdraw his Finance Bill 2024 and then talks start after that. Nothing else.
Ruto is completely finished. Even Moi never faced anything this. Our country never been through anything like this. Kenyans want their country back. Case closed.
Barack Obama’s sister speaks to CNN after getting tear gassed during Nairobi protest
President Barack Obama (R) is greeted by his half-sister Auma (2-L) on July 24, 2015 at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport after he arrived for the start of his two-day state visit.
Several people were shot by police after storming Parliament on June 25, 2024 when MPs passed the controversial Finance Bill.
BREAKING: At Least 4 Protesters Shot Dead Outside Kenyan Parliament
Several people were shot by police after storming Parliament on June 25, 2024 when MPs passed the controverial Finance Bill.
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 25 – At least four protesters were shot dead Tuesday as police struggled to disperse rioters who stormed Parliament after the passage of a controversial Finance Bill that seeks to raise taxes.
The chaotic scenes were marked by live bullets and tear gas moments after Members of Parliament approved the bill. Several protesters sustained serious bullet wounds during the violent confrontations.
“I have seen four bodies of the protesters who were shot dead,” reported a witness. “They are lying in a pool of blood outside Parliament.”
Our crew covering the youth-led protests counted more than 10 people being rushed to hospitals by ambulances, while others remained on the ground, writhing in pain. “People have been shot, it is very bad,” one protester yelled while fleeing from a thick cloud of tear gas.
In the chaos, a section of Parliament and a truck parked outside the fence were set ablaze. “We have never seen this before, God save Kenya,” an elderly man screamed while running.
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Fight for your country Kenya, we all with you
Now is the time for the country to sort things out very quickly. Revolutions are not pretty things and it can explode very quickly and then there is no way to control anything. The police killing protestors in parliament could lead to a situation where there is a complete war between the protestors and the police and as of right now there are reports that the KDF is being sent to CBD in Nairobi. Very soon they will be all over the country and it is a complete warfare. That is how these things work.
MPs were stupid enough to just pass the Finance Bill 2024 even as the whole country is under siege by Kenyans demanding the bill be withdrawn and a new budget prepared.
Ruto may try to play a gimmick on Kenyans by refusing to sign the bill into law to pretend that he has listened to Kenyans. That will be nonsense. William Ruto knows his regime is dead and gone. He will try to dance around waiting for 2027. Kenyans should not play any games with him. He has been in Kenyan politics for more than 40 years and it is always the same old crap. It has to be stopped now.
The next stage of the battle is to get all these young Kenyans sick of the Ruto regime to register as voters and to vote in the next election and Kenya could see some 5 million or so new voters and Ruto and his clowns in power will be history. Now let the country fight for a new budget while looking at a bigger picture to change the political architecture of the country forever.
This new generation want their country back and they are going to get that done. They have been Tribe-less and Party-less and now they are adding that Fear-less to their actions. That could be very deadly for the regime and the country. If the Ruto regime keeps killing the protestors they are going to fight back and it could be a nightmare for the country.
Raila Odinga here makes a proposal for a way forward. There is no other option. One of the strangest things about what is going on in the country today is that with Raila running for the AUC job there was a sense that William Ruto could do anything he wants and their would be no resistance and yet Kenya is seeing the biggest protest and resistance ever in the life of the country.
History of any country is complicated business. At the rate things are going it is Kenya which will be asking Haiti to send peacekeeping force to Kenya. President Joe Biden must be scared to death that his man for Haiti is going down quicker than the Haiti PM. What next. Send Somali police to save Ruto in Kenya.
On Tuesday night, Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued a Gazette Notice authorizing the deployment of the military, as police appeared overwhelmed in many parts of the country, particularly in Nairobi. Protesters had stormed Parliament following the bill’s passage.
“The Kenya Defense Forces is deployed on June 25, 2024, in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency caused by ongoing violent protests in various parts of the country, resulting in the destruction and breaching of critical infrastructure,” Duale stated.
Raila: Stop murdering Kenya’s children, suspend the Finance Bill
ODM leader Raila Odinga
This Bill is neither an emergency nor a life and death matter for the government and Kenyans.
Today, our country is paying a steep price for the obstinacy of the government.
Matters that should have been resolved through dialogue and humility have degenerated into developments that have never been witnessed in the 61-year history of our country since Independence.
I am deeply troubled by the violent and deadly crackdown on young, peaceful protesters exercising their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
I am disturbed at the murders, arrests, detentions and surveillance being perpetrated by police on boys and girls who are only seeking to be heard over taxation policies that are stealing both their present and future.
We had hoped that the government would show goodwill and humility and at least listen to the country’s children, Instead, every dissenting opinion has been dismissed and ridiculed by government officials and ruling party politicians and such dissenting voices are now being silenced by brutality and murder.
The constitution seems to have been suspended. We cannot allow that.
The government has unleashed brute force on our country’s children and more seems to be on the way.
We cannot allow that.
We can’t and won’t tolerate any extra minute of this murder spree and violence that could have been and can still be avoided.
Kenya cannot afford to kill its children just because the children are asking for food, jobs and a listening ear.
Police must therefore immediately stop shooting innocent, peaceful and unarmed protesting children who are asking for guarantees of a better tomorrow from the State.
The grievances and frustrations of the protesting boys and girls run extremely deep and wide.
The immediate trigger however is the Finance Bill.
This Bill is neither an emergency nor a life-and-death matter for the government and Kenyans.
Kenyans will recall that when there was a standoff in the last Parliament over calls for the reduction of tax on petroleum products from 16 per cent to 8 per cent, the then Jubilee government agreed to suspend that provision and fell back on the old Finance Act until a consensus was reached.
The same can happen today, with the government suspending the current Finance Bill and continuing with the Finance Act of last year.
The starting point to ending this impasse and cruel bloodletting is for the government to Immediately and unconditionally withdraw the Finance Bill and make way for a fresh start and dialogue.
The government must also immediately stop the violence its agencies are meting out on citizens and arrest all the police officers who have shot and killed protesters.
Without these first steps, nobody should imagine that the current situation is going away any time soon and nobody must imagine that Kenyans will sit back and watch police butcher their children in defence of policies whose consequences are a pervasive chilling effect on citizens, particularly the youth.
I am calling on the East African Community, the African Union and the United Nations to Immediately be seized of the unfolding situation in Kanya to save lives and the country.
I mourn with the families that have lost loved ones and stand with them in the ongoing struggle for Justice and economic liberation.
13 Kenyans Shot With Live Bullets During Finance Bill Protests – Amnesty International.
Protesters react after police use teargas to disperse them during a demonstration against Kenya’s proposed finance bill 2024/2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, June 20, 2024. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi/File Photo
Amnesty International on Tuesday condemned the brute force used by police officers on Kenyans protesting against the Finance Bill 2024.
In a statement, Amnesty highlighted that 13 people were shot with live bullets, four with rubber bullets and 3 sustained injuries after been hit with teargas canisters.
As a result, over 31 people were injured and five people were shot dead during the protests.
Internet disruptions reported in Kenya and neighboring countries
From CNN’s Catherine Nicholls
The Internet monitoring site NetBlocks has reported that there is a “major disruption” to internet connectivity in Kenya on Tuesday, following widespread protests in the country that include the breaching of the Kenyan Parliament.
“The incident comes amidst a deadly crackdown by police on #RejectFinanceBill2024 protesters a day after authorities claimed there would be no internet shutdown,” NetBlocks posted to X.
The outages have also impacted neighboring countries, including Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda, NetBlocks said.
The site added that “the incident is likely to limit coverage of events on the ground where protests are held.”
5 people killed and dozens injured in Kenyan protests, rights groups say
From CNN’s Catherine Nicholls
Kenyan police officers and security personnel take position to kill Kenyans on June 25 2024 at Parliament buildings.
At least five people were killed and 31 people injured in protests in Kenya on Tuesday, a joint statement released by several human rights groups said.
“Despite the assurance by the Government that the right to assembly would be protected and facilitated, today’s protests have spiralled into violence. Human rights observers and medical officers have reported several incidents of human rights violation,” the statement said.
Based on Ruto’s speech at State House after the events in the country, Kenya is heading to a complete warfare between the Ruto regime and the citizens. Ruto thinks it is treason for Kenyans to demand a better life and be killed by his police officers and now Ruto has brought in the KDF.
The worst thing for the country is for the young Kenyans to realize their lives are in danger because that means instead of the peaceful demos those young Kenyans are going to grab those army trucks and weapons and then we are in Burkina Faso or Libya some time back and it could go on for years. Just don’t go there Ruto, please, because once you in there you cannot get back.
I had no idea Ruto would declare outright war on Kenyans as he has just done. Bring it on Mr. President because you are going to regret it. Do you know what happened to this guy who had all the power and arms in Libya?
Thoughts on Muammar Gaddafi?
Someone should tell William Ruto that instead of talking about Kenyans committing treason by demanding a better life for the citizens, it is President Ruto committing treason on the nation by killing innocent Kenyans and pushing the country to a war situation. Ruto is going to be held responsible and he knows that by now. His presidency is completely dead as the country goes through this unprecedented turmoil. Good for him.
The Bill is now back in parliament for Ruto to buy time but it is too late now. There is going to be another war in parliament. Just withdraw the whole bill and start a fresh. The worst thing for William Ruto here is that instead of acting on his own to bring sanity to the country he went for warfare and now after national leaders like Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga have spoken asking for dialogue with Kenyans and not war Ruto is folding back. That is not how you ran a country. Don’t put the country to war and then come back and say maybe we can talk.
Ruto should tell his cops to do what happened here in Eldoret and there will be peace.
President Ruto Terms Tuesday Events Treasonous, Vows Expeditious Response.
President William Ruto on Tuesday night described the breach of parliament as treasonous, vowing to crack down on the ‘organisers and financiers of the protests, which entered their fifth day.
President Ruto was addressing the nation after a day of protests that left at least five people dead, and over 125 others nursing injuries.
According to the Head of State, a crucial conversation was hijacked by criminals who visited mayhem on the country and desecrated the August House.
“I hereby put on notice the planners, financiers, orchestrators, and abettors of violence and anarchy that the security infrastructure established to protect our republic and its sovereignty will be to deployed secure the country and restore order and normalcy,” President Ruto said.
According to President Ruto, it is inconceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against people and their elected representatives, as well as institutions, and expect to go scot free.
“We must isolate crime from democratic expression and separate criminals from people exercising their freedom of expression and divergent opinion,” he added.
A tough-speaking Ruto vowed there would be a full, expeditious response to the events of Tuesday to ensure such an event does not re-occur.
” I assure Kenyans that we shall provide a full, effective, and expeditious response to today’s treasonous events,” President Ruto said.
Kenyan protesters broke through parliament barricades on Tuesday and entered the complex, where lawmakers were debating contentious tax hike proposals that have sparked widespread outrage.
According to Amnesty International Kenya, hundreds of protesters broke through police barriers outside parliament in Nairobi, with police firing live rounds and injuring “many” people.
A section of parliament that houses offices was also set on fire as protesters stormed the buildings, accompanied by heavy gunfire from police officers battling the defiant mob.
Protesters who have rallied against the contentious Bill, which was passed by the House on Tuesday, have been picketing for the past week, arguing that if passed, the Bill will burden an already burdened population.
The United States of America, the United Kingdom and a host of other countries have condemned the abduction and killing of protesters in Kenya during the ongoing anti-Finance Bill protests that have been witnessed across the country.
In a joint statement, Ambassadors & High Commissioners from 13 countries expressed concern over the violence witnessed across the country and the resultant deaths.
“We are deeply concerned by the violence witnessed in many parts of the country during the recent protests, and are especially shocked by the scenes witnessed outside the Kenyan Parliament,” reads the statement.
‘Rogue And Inconsiderate President!’ LSK President Lectures Ruto.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo.
The Law Society of Kenya has slammed the government, the clergy, International bodies and professional bodies over the ongoing anti-Finance Bill protests.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo in an emotional statement on Tuesday criticized President William Ruto and the government for sitting pretty as protesters were being shot and killed.
Dubbed ‘black Tuesday’ Ms Odhiambo wondered how the president would allow the demonstrations which are now leading to the deaths of youths to go on, in the name of imposing an unpopular Bill on the people.
She blamed President Ruto over the deaths meted out to youths, urging him to consider his legacy, so as not to be remembered as the president who ‘killed his people to raise more money by passing the controversial Bill.
‘Every Kenyan today who has lost his or her life in the struggle to stamp out corruption and seek economic liberation lies in the hands of a rogue and inconsiderate President,” she stated.
“I congratulate you because history will remember you as the President who had to kill his people to raise more money. June 25, 2024, will go down in history as the day Kenyans died so that their president could please the colonial masters in the name of staggered tax measures recommended for implementation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”
She added: “Like all mothers whose children have been killed, injured, tortured or abducted in the hands of cops, I feel the pain of my countrymen. The Gen Z who you call children are out in the streets fighting for your fellow parents in the National Police Service, Parliament, Cabinet and air-conditioned government offices. Just imagine, your child is out there seeking justice when you are comfortably enjoying life. Have we no shame?”
The LSK boss went on to chide the head of state for allegedly deploying the military outside Parliament in the name of containing protesters, saying the Society would pursue justice for the victims even through international investigative bodies.
According to Odhiambo, it was against the law to assign soldiers to deal with internal conflicts since their role was to protect the country from external conflicts.
“We seek Justice; LSK calls upon the international criminal investigation authorities to help poor Kenyan families’ quest for Justice. We have reports and videos that show Kenya Army soldiers engaging protesters in Parliament. We want answers under what law the president used to deploy Kenya’s Defense forces on Kenyan soil. No penny is worth human life! No amount of taxation, threats and intimidation will stop this journey for Justice,” LSK noted.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/africa/kenya-protests-tax-rises-intl/index.html
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