Maandamano: 5 Protests That Defined 2023

Other than Jua Kali employees, those from community-based organizations and residents from informal areas joined in the peaceful demonstrations which began at Parliament buildings.

As depicted in messages on their banners, the Affordable Housing Programme was viewed as a means of giving them a decent standard of living compared to the issue of slums in the city which contain deplorable standards of living.

The agitated protesters argued that court cases, one of which nullified the Housing Levy, were meant to sabotage the program, denying them a chance to get decent homes as envisioned by President Ruto.

Azimio la Umoja Anti-Government Protests

Of all the protests to have taken place this year, none was bigger than the nationwide demonstrations staged by the Azimio la Umoja coalition led by former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.

After Raila and Ruto failed to agree on a raft of issues including the cost of living and auditing of the 2022 election results, the former called for protests, and with the worsening cost of living blamed on the government, Kenyans used the protests to voice their frustrations.

Unlike previous years where the protests were restricted to Raila's political stronghold, this year's protests touched on more populated areas, including Ukambani and satellite towns in Nairobi.

However, the protests quickly turned violent culminating in the deaths of more than 100 Kenyans in different parts of the country leading to condemnation from human rights bodies such as Amnesty International. The protests also threatened national stability forcing religious leaders to step in and demand the two leaders sit down and engage in dialogue.

Ruto and Raila have since surrendered to the demands and have committed to implement a report authored by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO).

Protests Against Finance Bill

Police on Tuesday, June 6 engaged youth demonstrating against the Finance Bill 2023 in running battles at Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) amidst pressure by President William Ruto to recall some of the controversial tax proposals.

A group of activists had gathered at Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi to protest against the Bill, but police officers lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the rowdy crowd which disrupted traffic and business at the National Treasury at Harambee Avenue. 

Several demonstrators were also arrested during the protests organised by a consortium of lobby groups.

The activists were armed with placards, flags and whistles while chanting against the bill, and had convened at Jeevanjee Gardens at 8.00 am before commencing their march to Parliament.

The poor cannot sleep because they are hungry, and the rich cannot sleep because the poor are aware and hungry- read some of the placards held by the protestors.

“We don’t want it, Kenyans don’t want it, just withdraw it because it will kill the already bleeding economy,” one activist yelled before police intervened and dispersed the meeting.

Nonetheless, the Finance Bill was assented into law by President Ruto, however, sections of it that included the Housing Levy were nullified by the High Court.

Protests against Supreme Court LGBTQ Ruling

Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali alias Jicho Pevu led hundreds of Kenyans in demonstrating along the streets of Nairobi over the Supreme Court of Kenya ruling that allowed LGBTQ+ members to register an NGO in Kenya.

The demonstrations, which saw the UDA MP and other politicians lead the protests, were held at the same time another group demonstrated in Mombasa on Friday, October 6 all calling for the ruling to be invalidated.

In one video seen by Viral Tea, a group of Muslim women during the protests chanted "Hatutaki Ruto na Ruto, tunataka Ruto na Rachel (We don't want Ruto and Ruto...we want Ruto and Rachel)" about President William Ruto and his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto.

The highest court in the land on Friday, February 24 dismissed an appeal by the government to bar registration of a gays and lesbians lobby groups, ending an 11-year legal battle by activists seeking the official registration of an LGBTQ+ organisation in Kenya.

Multimedia University Protests

The administration of Multimedia University (MMU) along Magadi Road in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County called a meeting between the University's top leadership after its students protested on Tuesday, October 3 over delayed disbursement of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds.

The meeting involved the Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Research & Innovation, and student representatives from the Multimedia University of Kenya Students Association (MUKSA), among others.

Led by Vice Chancellor Festus Kaberia, the management committed to addressing burning concerns raised by students which included missing marks that sparked anxiety among its fourth-year students who were expected to graduate later in October.

The resolutions notably steered clear of HELB loans issues which also led to the students' protests which crippled traffic along Magadi Road as they engaged police in running battles, lighting bonfires along the busy road as some of them escaped the chaos by scaling fences.

The protest came days after Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino, a former student leader, decried the delayed payment and challenged the student leaders across the institutions of higher learning to take the lead in advocating for the fast-tracking of the financial aid.

Delays in disbursement of HELB funds by the government this year sparked a rift between the government and university students countrywide.