The Kenyan people gave their president 48 hours to step down, emphasising the need for a new government committed to “transparency, accountability, and good governance.”
A viral Twitter statement that has gathered thousands of engagements reads: “We no longer recognise William Ruto as the President of Kenya. We recall his presidency and urge him to immediately resign and surrender his office to the Kenyan people.”
Despite President Ruto retracting the controversial finance bill poised to increase taxes, public outrage persists in the country, with many taking to social media to express their discontentment.
In his statement, Ruto emphasised that withdrawing the bill would mean a significant hole in funding for development programmes to help farmers and teachers, among others.
He said the increases were necessary to service Kenya’s debt of some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), equal to roughly 70 per cent of GDP.
Under Ruto’s leadership, Kenyans have grappled with economic instability, rampant corruption, and governance challenges, which have led to escalating living costs and high unemployment rates.
Dozens of protesters took to the streets to demonstrate their profound dissatisfaction with the administration, which has been characterised by “incompetence, mismanagement, and a persistent failure to address the nation’s pressing needs.
Kenyan police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators in Nairobi on Thursday, as soldiers deployed and police in anti-riot gear blocked access along roads leading to Ruto’s office at State House and parliament, according to AFP journalists.
Analysts warned that Ruto’s administration faced a tough choice in the weeks ahead.
