KENIA: CONDEMN THE US-RUTO REGIME’S BRUTAL ATTACK ON JUNE 25 PEOPLE’S PROTEST

Statement of the ILPS Africa and West Asia Regional Committee The International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS) condemns the brutal and senseless killing of 16 and injuring of 400 protesters in this June 25’s people’s protest. Thousands of Kenyans joined the mass action to commemorate last year’s Finance Bill protests, rising police brutality and government repression. Last year’s protests forced the Ruto regime to withdraw the revenue measure designed by the IMF. It outlined new taxes which would have led to costlier living expenses for the Kenyan masses. Since then, the Ruto government has treacherously tried to have portions of the Finance Bill passed by parliament.  By unleashing more violence and deception, the Ruto government has been trying hard to impose the IMF dictates which the Kenyans have already fiercely rejected.  While trying various ways to impose the IMF policy, what is equally alarming is the rising political repression by the government. This is underlined by the killing of Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, while under police custody just a couple of weeks ago. Ojwang was arrested by police officers for posting a criticism of a top police official on social media. Last year’s campaign against Finance Bill 2024 resulted in the political isolation of the Ruto regime. Several demonstrations called for the withdrawal of the bill and government accountability for police brutality in the dispersal of the demonstrations. Some quarters called for President Ruto to leave office. People from all walks of life, all over the country, protested. The President resorted to horse trading, gambled much of his political capital to coopt the opposition, and used a few pretend leaders of the protest movement, who are out for their own gain, to get out of the tight situation last year. On top of that, the regime is believed to have used repressive measures like abductions, illegal arrests, extrajudicial executions and killings to create a climate of fear and stifle dissent. In a statement on social media the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) notes the recent surge of abductions in Kenya. The KNCHR reports that there have been 82 cases of abductions and enforced disappearances from June to December of last year alone.  The Law Society of Kenya cited the use of “unnecessary aggression and brute force” in the dispersal of the June 25 demonstration by police officers that led to “senseless loss of life” this year. On the first anniversary of the June 25 massive protests and Ruto government’s response of killings and violence, the Ruto government only proved its intensifying repression by unleashing more violence on the protesters.  The ILPS is one with the Kenyan people in calling not only for justice for their fellow protesters and critics, not only for democracy and for demanding better jobs, livelihood and a just share in Kenya’s wealth. In the face of the increasingly desperate, insidious Ruto government, we call on our brothers and sisters in Kenya to persevere. It is only right to continue organizing the Kenyans and launching mass actions to advance the calls for national sovereignty and democratic rights. The Kenyan people was victorious in the campaign against Finance Bill 2024. As Kenyan experience showed, they can compel the Ruto government to withdraw its rotten policies. Let us trust in the people’s power to effect change and reject the pseudo-leaders who sellout and mislead the people to uphold their selfish interests. We stand in Solidarity with the people of Kenya in these trying times. We stand in solidarity with the Kenyan people! Long live the struggle of the Kenyan masses!  Down with the US Puppet Ruto regime! Long Live International Solidarity! Signed, ILPS Africa and West Asia Regional