By Ebi Kesiena
Kenya is preparing for further anti-government protests as proposed crisis talks by President William Ruto appear to have stalled.
Activists have called for nationwide demonstrations on Tuesday, protesting the government’s inaction in prosecuting security forces allegedly responsible for the deaths of at least 41 protesters over the past month.
These protests were initially sparked by plans to increase taxes on various goods, including bread and diapers, to raise over $2 billion needed to reduce the budget deficit.
President Ruto announced last week that a national dialogue would commence on Monday to ease the political tension. However, the status of these talks remains unclear.
The main opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has reported no communication regarding the proposed talks.
“We haven’t received any invitation, when called, we’ll go because we are keen on getting broad-based reforms,” said ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.
Also, a spokesperson for the presidency stated that parliamentary leaders are responsible for organizing the talks. However, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has not responded to requests for comment.
Heritage Times HT recalls that the protests began in mid-June in response to President Ruto’s plans to raise taxes, leading to widespread public anger and forcing the government to abandon the proposal. In a bid to address the public’s dissatisfaction, Ruto fired almost all of his cabinet members last week.
Scrapping the tax increases is expected to widen Kenya’s budget deficit to 3.6% of GDP for the current fiscal year, up from a previous estimate of 3.3%.
In a move to address public outcry over the recent violence, Ruto vowed on Saturday to hold accountable those responsible for the killings. He also called on the Ford Foundation, an organization that promotes civic engagement, to explain its involvement in the recent protests.
Meanwhile, as Kenya braces for more demonstrations, the lack of clarity around the crisis talks adds to the uncertainty, leaving the nation on edge and awaiting further developments.
