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
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