- Even after President Ruto refrained from signing the Bill into law, the youths still continued with the street demonstrations, stating that they were dissatisfied with the current government.
- They demand that the President to resign from office.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has condemned the ongoing anti-government protests in the country, saying that the reign of terror against the people of Kenya and the impunity of dangerous gangs must come to an end.
Through a statement on X on July 2, 2024, Kindiki assured the public that upon completing the ongoing evidential analysis, the planners, executors, and financiers of large-scale arson, violent robberies, and other felonious crimes will be brought to justice.
"The Government is determined to stop criminals aiming to terrorize the public and harm Kenya, notwithstanding attempts to politicize crime," read the statement in part.
Moreover, the Cabinet Secretary assured that security agencies are vigilant to intercept and thwart harm to the public and attempts to attack critical infrastructure and the emblems of sovereignty, warning of the resurgence of another wave of protests later this week.
"The organizers of today’s orgy of violence in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa and several other parts of the country are reportedly planning to repeat their anarchic chaos and cruel plunder again on Thursday and Sunday this week and perhaps much more frequently in the future," added the statement.
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Protests and civil unrest have been the agenda for the country's youth for the last couple of weeks. Following the June 25, 2024 protests, initiated as a democratic expression of public disapproval of the Finance Bill 2024, the Bill was terminated.
According to the majority of Kenyans, the proposed Bill had stirred controversy and discontent across the country for its draconian proposal. They claimed that if the Bill passed, it would make life harder, not forgetting the already high cost of living.
However, even after President Ruto refrained from signing the Bill into law, the youths still continued with the street demonstrations, stating that they were dissatisfied with the current government. They demand that the President to resign from office.
On July 2, 2024, youth-led protests continued in various parts of the country. The protests signalled that Ruto's abandoned plans for tax hikes had not appeased the youth. The agenda had now shifted from the Finance Bill to bad governance, with protestors calling out police brutality.
