By Moji Danisa
Kenya is once again on the brink.
On June 25, thousands of Kenyans flooded the streets in a day of national rage, marking the first anniversary of the deadly 2024 protests that saw demonstrators storm Parliament and left over 60 dead. This time, the toll was grim once again: at least 16 people were killed and 400 injured, according to Amnesty International Kenya.
But this is not just about a single protest or a single president. Kenya’s streets have long served as a national pressure valve, where governance failures, economic pain, and public mistrust spill into violent confrontation. The latest protests are a stark reminder of a cyclical volatility that continues to define the East African nation’s political life.
The Latest Flashpoint
What began in 2024 as opposition to a controversial Finance Bill, viewed by many Kenyans as another blow in a punishing economy, has grown into a nationwide crisis of legitimacy for President William Ruto’s administration. Initially framed around opposition to new taxes on bread, fuel, and financial transactions, the protests have spiraled into broader demands for political accountability and even regime change.
The government’s response has, once again, been marked by allegations of brutality. Human rights groups say the police have used excessive force, with live rounds fired into crowds. More troubling are reports, echoed by Amnesty International, that some police officers have pressured bereaved families to skip postmortem examinations and bury the dead quickly, suggesting a chilling effort to bury the truth as well.
President Ruto, who came to power in 2022 on a populist platform promising economic empowerment for the “hustler nation”, a term he coined to connect with the poor, now finds himself presiding over a nation that feels betrayed. His sudden decision in July 2024 to dissolve nearly the entire Cabinet was seen by critics as a political gambit rather than a genuine shift. Even the promise of a “broad-based government” has done little to stem the anger on the streets.
A History of Discontent
To understand why Kenya erupts with such intensity, it helps to look backward. The country has a deep history of protest, one intertwined with its fight for democracy. From the pro-democracy demonstrations of the 1990s to the election violence of 2007–2008, where more than 1,000 people died and hundreds of thousands were displaced, Kenya’s political system has often teetered on the edge of crisis.
Youth disenfranchisement is a key factor. Over 70% of Kenya’s population is under 35, and many of them are unemployed or underemployed. With few avenues for meaningful participation, street protests often become their loudest and sometimes only form of expression.
Economic inequality compounds the problem. While Nairobi boasts a booming tech sector and shiny infrastructure projects, many Kenyans still struggle with high food prices, erratic job markets, and poor access to services. When leaders are perceived to enrich themselves while the majority suffer, political frustration quickly becomes combustible.
Mistrust in institutions, especially the police and the judiciary, further erodes stability. When protests turn deadly, investigations are rare, convictions rarer still. This persistent culture of impunity encourages further confrontation, not dialogue.
A Government Under Siege
For President Ruto, the stakes are now existential. His administration’s attempts to raise revenue through taxation, though backed by the IMF and international creditors, have backfired politically. What was meant to stabilize public finances has instead destabilized his political base.
The Finance Bill protests have not just mobilized opposition parties; they have brought together civil society, students, religious groups, and even former allies disillusioned by Ruto’s perceived drift from his campaign promises.
As public anger swells, there is growing concern that Kenya may enter a prolonged period of unrest. The country’s next general election is still years away, but calls for Ruto’s resignation signal a deepening legitimacy crisis that could haunt his presidency and Kenya’s democracy.
What Comes Next?
If Kenya is to break this cycle, it will require more than Cabinet reshuffles or rhetoric. It needs structural reforms that address police accountability, economic inclusion, and the widening trust gap between citizens and their leaders. It will also require political courage from both government and opposition, to build a culture of dialogue, not repression.
For now, the streets remain a theater of fury. And Kenya, once hailed as a regional beacon of stability, finds itself once again wrestling with its own democratic contradictions.
As one protester in Nairobi shouted through tear gas and sirens, “We are not just hungry. We are tired.”
