Declared a major budget cut of 177 billion shillings to close the budgetary gap resulting from the withdrawal of a controversial finance bill, Kenyan President William Ruto The ruling follows bloody demonstrations spurred by proposed tax increases that claimed 39 people died.
As peaceful protests over the tax rises grew violent and police started shooting at throngs flooding parliament, the nation fell into anarchy. Mostly driven by young Kenyans, the demonstrations exposed general dissatisfaction with the yearly budget, which Ruto finally deleted, alerting of a significant financing gap.
“We will be proposing to the National Assembly a budget cut of not the entire 349 billion shillings, but a budget cut of 177 billion shillings and borrowing the difference (around 169 billion shillings),” Ruto told reporters on Friday, July 5.
About 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), or 70% of Kenya’s GDP, make up the public debt for the nation. Ruto underlined that although the loan decision would raise the fiscal deficit “from 3.3 percent to 4.6 percent,” it would help the government to keep offering necessary services. These services include in sponsoring initiatives like the milk stabilization and fertilizer program to assist farmers and in recruiting medical interns and secondary school instructors.
Apart from the budgetary cut, Ruto also revealed several austerity policies including the integration of 47 state-owned businesses and firms into different agencies. The first lady’s and the deputy president’s spouse’s offices will be closed, and government advisers’ count will be half cut. “All non-essential travel by state and public officers is thus suspended,” he said.
For many others, the demonstrations have had a terrible effect. Searching for their missing son, Joseph Mwangi, who vanished during the Nairobi demonstrations against the financial bill, Tabitha Wanjiri Kairo and her husband David Kairo have been Twenty-eight-year-old street seller Joseph dreamed of become a police officer or army. Proud of his will to oppose government policies, his mother has been looking nonstop in police stations, hospitals, and morgues.
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“I have searched all over but cannot track his location; so, the authorities should search for our children. I reported him missing at the Kasarani Police Station, but the cops there don’t seem to know anything or seem to care.” remarked Kairo.
Kairo is urging the government to release all those kidnapped and missing as her son did nothing illegal. “Give our children here. Nothing illegal my child did to anyone. There is no crime involved in street protest. Why are we suffering in this manner? She then said.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reports that anti-finance bill demonstrations have resulted in 41 deaths, 35 abductions, and 746 arrests.
On Friday, President Ruto apologies for the “arrogance and show of opulence” politicians and ministers from the ruling party demonstrated. Along with the storming of parliament and retribution against “rogue” police personnel who fired at unarmed citizens during the demonstrations, he also pledged Promising a shift in behavior, Ruto claimed ownership for the haughty remarks made by officials.
Two weeks of turmoil followed for Kenya, ending in demonstrators storming parliament during a vote on the financial measure.
