Kenyan President William Ruto warned on Sunday that the demonstrations that have rocked his country for more than a month “could destroy the country” and vowed to “stop them.”
Since June 13, Kenya has been witnessing demonstrations that began in protest against a draft budget that included numerous tax increases, which President Ruto eventually withdrew.
The rallies turned chaotic on June 25 when protesters stormed the parliament building.
According to an official human rights organization, at least 50 people have been killed since the protests began.
Despite the announcement that the budget bill will be withdrawn, hundreds of protesters are still gathering across the country. More protests are planned for next week.
“I want to promise that this will stop, that is enough,” the Kenyan president said today, stressing that the demonstrations “could destroy our country.”
“We will protect life, we will protect property, we will stop the thieves, the killers, the chaos, we will stop the chaos because Kenya is a democracy and we want a peaceful and stable nation. Our problems are solved through democratic means,” he added.
Ruto stressed that he had responded to the demands of the demonstrators, particularly by withdrawing the draft budget and proposing a national dialogue.
A court on Thursday suspended a ban on demonstrations in central Nairobi that police had issued the previous day.
On Sunday, opposition leader Raila Odinga declared that “justice must be done before any discussion,” referring to compensation for victims of “police violence.”
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