Kenyan President William Ruto has described the escalating nationwide protests against a controversial finance bill as “treasonous”. The protests, led by youth, have turned violent, with protesters forcing their way into the parliament building, destroying property, and looting shops and clubs linked to lawmakers.
In a televised address, Ruto said the government has mobilized all its resources to ensure the situation does not occur again “at whatever cost”. He directed security organs to use all means possible to thwart any threats to the country’s national security, stating that “the criminals who reigned terror on innocent people and challenged our security organs are likely to continue with this behaviour”.
Shortly after Ruto’s speech, the cabinet secretary for defense, Aden Duale, announced the deployment of the Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) to “support” the police in curbing the protests. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has appealed for calm and dialogue, urging elected leaders to listen to the people’s grievances.
The protests were sparked by a finance bill that seeks to raise an additional $2.67 billion in revenue through measures such as increasing the railway development levy and the import declaration fee. The bill was passed by lawmakers on Tuesday morning, despite the ongoing demonstrations.
