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Democratic Strangulation #RejectFinanceBill Demonstrations and other democratic stories

By Caroline Boyani
The Constitution of Kenya, under Chapter 1, states that all sovereign power belongs to the
people of Kenya and shall be exercised in accordance with the Constitution. It further gives the
right to the people to hold peaceful and unharmed demonstrations. Under the Bill of Rights
(Article 37), the Constitution states that every person has the right peaceably and unarmed to
assemble, demonstrate, picket, and present petitions to public authorities.
The recent Occupy Reject Finance Bill demonstrations, spearheaded by Gen Z, were lawful;
hence there was no need for the excessive force used by the police officers. As a result, people
were hurt on both sides, and one of the demonstrators lost his life – a young life exercising his
democratic rights.
The uproar by Gen Z is a new force to be reckoned with, demonstrating that they are bold and
unwilling to relent. This generation has made a mark on the world, showing they will not accept
to be misled or misused and want a place at the table when laws that directly or indirectly affect
them are being passed.
The solidarity witnessed across the country is evidence of how Kenyans are tired of exorbitant
taxation and the lack of proper public participation. One protestor expressed her dissatisfaction
with how the situation was handled: "All we did was walk down roads, but the police used
teargas and batons to incite us. We shall not relent and we refuse to be intimidated."
They have taken to social media to extend their campaign against members of Parliament, whom
they claim "betrayed" them by voting for a finance bill that did not consider the existing tax
burden on citizens. "The fight is on, and we shall return to the streets until our voices are heard,"
they said.
Unlawful detention of protesters and threats to journalists covering the protests should be highly
rebuked, and those involved must face consequences for their actions. The masses shall not be
silenced while advocating for a better country. "In the spirit of our forefathers who sent the
colonisers packing, we shall keep fighting for our voices to be heard and responded to," a
protestor said. "If need be, we shall recall the MPs that voted 'yes' since it's clear they don't have
our best interests at heart," he added.
The revolution continues as Gen Z, civil societies, and humanitarian organisations campaign
against the members of Parliament who voted 'yes' on the finance bill and the President of Kenya
for introducing taxes such as increases on sanitary towels and diapers, while there are girls and
women already struggling to afford these commodities. They have called upon the government to
set realistic budget cuts and allocations instead of prioritising the comfort of a few.

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