Photo credit: Aljazeera
After violence and looting marred demonstrations, which they fear could defeat the movement’s purpose and eventually force President William Ruto to resign, Kenya’s anti-government activists are shifting to another strategy.
Reuters reports that the activists believe violence was the work of forces loyal to politicians who sought to discredit legitimate demonstrators or advance their own agendas.
Ojango Omondi, an activist, said, “It seems the state has realized that the only way to counter this movement is by using goons to incite violence, break into people’s property, loot and tarnish our cause.”
“It’s time to go back to the drawing board and strategies on how best to overcome this violence and keep our protests focused on their true objectives,” he continued.
Interior Minister Kithure Kindike blamed the violence on “hordes of marauding criminal gangs” and said there was an attempt to “politicize crime.”
Last month, the initial protests against proposed tax hikes were peaceful despite the police firing tear gas and water cannon at demonstrators. The protests have become violent as some demonstrators stormed parliament last week, and the police opened fire at them, killing dozens.
Kenyans from across ethnic lines have come together around common economic demands, marking a break with previous protest movements that have typically been organized by political figures with ethnic grievances often at the fore.
Although Ruto has withdrawn the tax increases, protesters have vowed to continue and issued various demands, from anti-corruption measures to Ruto’s resignation.
Protests on Tuesday were marked by violence. Stone-throwing young men clashed with police in Nairobi and other towns. Looters stoned businesses, leading shop owners to arm themselves with sticks and clubs.
“What has happened is that peaceful protesters are deterred from coming to town, and we are deterred from actually coming and practising our civic duties,” Foi Wambui, a young actress, said while heading for home because of the chaotic situation.
Although Ruto and his government have distinguished between peaceful demonstrators and those they describe as criminals who have hijacked the demonstration, their allies have seized on the violence to try to discredit the movement, popularly known as Gen Z protests, for their youthful following.
