Coffins on the streets as protests intensified

Riot police fired tear gas and clashed with stone-throwing protesters in downtown Nairobi and other major cities on Tuesday, in the most extensive unrest Kenya has seen since the deadly clashes last week that claimed at least two dozen lives.

The protests, which have erupted across the nation, highlight President William Ruto's struggle to address a surging youth protest movement. This movement remains undeterred despite Ruto's recent decision to abandon controversial tax hikes that initially sparked the unrest.

What began as a day of spirited demonstrations quickly descended into chaos. In Nairobi’s central business district, police in full riot gear confronted protesters, using tear gas and charging at crowds with shields and clubs. Amid the turmoil, a kiosk was set ablaze, and medics attended to injured demonstrators, including a young man with a severely wounded hand. Other protesters were forcibly loaded into police trucks.

The unrest was not confined to the capital. In Mombasa, Kenya's second-largest city on the Indian Ocean coast, hundreds of demonstrators marched through the streets, waving palm fronds, blowing horns, and chanting "Ruto must go!" The day turned violent when two people were reportedly shot, and cars were set on fire, according to NTV Kenya.

President Ruto, who is facing the most significant crisis of his nearly two-year tenure, is caught between the demands of international lenders, such as the International Monetary Fund, to reduce deficits and a populace grappling with skyrocketing living costs. Despite abandoning the proposed tax hikes, Ruto’s calls for dialogue have been rebuffed by the leaderless protest movement, which is primarily organized via social media.

"People are dying in the streets, and the only thing he can talk about is money. We are not money. We are people. We are human beings," said Milan Waudo, a protester in Mombasa, in an interview with Reuters. "He needs to care about his people, because if he can't care about his people, then we don't need him in that chair."

Similar scenes of unrest played out in Kisumu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Migori, Mlolongo, and Rongo, with images broadcast across Kenyan television. In Migori, in the southwestern part of the country, protesters set tires on fire, creating roadblocks and adding to the chaos.

Activists have blamed the violence on government-hired infiltrators aiming to discredit the protest movement. Prominent activist Boniface Mwangi urged demonstrators to go home, warning of the government's tactics. "Good people. Let’s go home. As usual, the government has let goons take over, loot, and burn property again," Mwangi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) reports that 39 people have been killed in protests and clashes with police since June 18. The deadliest day was June 25, when police opened fire near the parliament, where some protesters attempted to storm the building to block the tax hike vote.

As tensions continue to rise, Kenya faces a critical juncture. The government's response to the growing unrest will likely define President Ruto's leadership and the country's immediate future.