‘Exercise restraint’ – UN boss tells Kenya over crackdown on anti-tax protestors
By Joel Sang, June 26, 2024
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked William Ruto’s government to exercise caution when dealing with the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.
The police and the demonstrating members of the public faced off on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in the Nairobi Central Business Division, and this caught the eyes of local and international observers.
In particular, Guterres pointed out the injuries that journalists and healthcare workers suffered and urged the government to provide an environment where peaceful demonstrations can take place.
“I am deeply saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries, including those of journalists and medical personnel, connected to protests and street demonstrations in Kenya.
“I urge the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and call for all demonstrations to take place peacefully,” Guterres wrote on X on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
Uhuru, Raila pleas
Guterres’ remarks come after high-level political leaders in the country also added their voices to the ongoing situation.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta asked the leadership of the country to listen to people instead of turning deaf ears to what was being said.
“At this trying time for our country, I want to remind all leaders that they were elected by the people. Listening to the people is not a choice but a mandate enshrined in the principles of our constitution and in the very basis and philosophy of democracy.
“As your former president, I have felt the weight and the difficulty of leading Kenya. I therefore pray for wisdom and civility to be established and for peace and progress to belong to all of us as children of Kenya,” Uhuru said in a statement released on Tuesday.
On his part, Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga called for an end to the killings of the protestors.
“The constitution seems to have been suspended. 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.
“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,” Raila said.
Eyes are now on President Ruto to see if he will assent to the Finance Bill into law or whether he will bow to pressure and take it back to parliament for more amendments.
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