By Emmanuel Nduka
The Africans Rising Movement (ARM) alongside 400 African and Diaspora Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have resolved to hold Kenyan President, William Ruto responsible for killings and abductions of protestors in the east African country.
Heritage Times HT had reported that the protests were sparked after President Ruto introduced a new Finance Bill which he said was aimed at raising taxes to help pay up part of the the country’s debt.
The ARM in a statement on Friday, noted that the CSOs sent a strong-worded letter to President Ruto in massive solidarity with the Kenyan people “against misgovernance, corruption and economic hardship”.
The CSOs in the letter demanded that Ruto “Stop killing protestors; Stop the abductions of protestors, produce all those who have been abducted, investigate and punish perpetrators and desist from such acts; Respect the human and constitutional rights of protestors; All those who have been arrested for protesting must be released immediately and unconditionally; Instead of confronting protests with violence, the government can respond to the protestors’ demands against over-taxation, corruption and misgovernance”.
The letter notes that “even though the protests have abated, concerns remain that participants in the protests do not feel safe,” the ARM said, adding that It mentions the track record of Kenyan security forces following up on organisers of protests, intimidating, abducting and abusing their human rights.
The ARM cautioned the government that the coalition will monitor and take on any post-protest acts of abuse. “We believe that in the spirit of Ubuntu, whatever affects one African affects all Africans,” the letter concluded.
