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Protests against the Finance Bill spread to Mombasa yesterday with hundreds of youths storming the streets to voice their opposition to the tax measures.

A section of Members of Parliament mainly from the opposition, taking cue from the street protesters also used the Floor of the House to tacitly oppose the bill.

A day after hundreds of youths in Nairobi had taken to the streets to protest against the bill, their counterparts in Mombasa engaged police in day long running battles, at some point storming a police station to voice their opposition to the bill.

“Reject! Not Amend!” was the resounding anthem that echoed through the streets of Mombasa as fervent residents gathered to oppose the controversial bill.

 In a notable shift from typical protests, which often descend into chaos and destruction, yesterday’s demonstrations were distinctively organized, inclusive, and resilient. The young, dynamic university and college students, representing the Gen Z cohort, showcased an extraordinary level of determination.

 They endured a relentless downpour and suffocating clouds of teargas, skillfully engaging with the police in strategic skirmishes.

 Before the skies opened shortly after 8:00am, a motivated assembly began to form at the iconic Elephant Tusks, known locally as Mapembeni, along Moi Avenue near Uhuru Gardens.

 Dubbed ‘Occupy Mombasa, Reject Finance Bill,’ the protest was meticulously orchestrated via social media platforms, including WhatsApp groups, X, and TikTok, following similar demonstrations in Nairobi.

 With placards held high and T-shirts emblazoned in anti-Finance Bill slogans, the demonstrators were steadfast in their resolve to challenge what they perceived as President William Ruto’s administration’s punitive taxation plans on an already burdened populace.

 A formidable police presence was poised to quash the protests. Mombasa Central Police Station OCS Peter Mugambi declared the demonstrations unauthorized due to the absence of a permit.