President William Ruto addressed the nation on Tuesday night, denouncing the breach of parliament as an act of treason and pledging a stringent response against the organizers and financiers behind the ongoing protests, which have entered their fifth day.
In his address, President Ruto condemned the violent events that have led to the deaths of at least five individuals and left over 125 injured. He accused criminals of hijacking a critical national conversation, causing widespread chaos and desecrating the August House.
“I hereby put on notice the planners, financiers, orchestrators, and abettors of violence and anarchy that the security infrastructure established to protect our republic and its sovereignty will be deployed to secure the country and restore order and normalcy,” declared President Ruto.
The President emphasized the need to distinguish between criminal activities and democratic expression, asserting that it is unacceptable for criminals posing as peaceful protesters to terrorize citizens, elected representatives, and institutions.
“We must isolate crime from democratic expression and separate criminals from people exercising their freedom of expression and divergent opinion,” he added.
In a firm stance, President Ruto assured Kenyans of a swift and comprehensive response to the events of Tuesday to prevent future occurrences of such nature.
“I assure Kenyans that we shall provide a full, effective, and expeditious response to today’s treasonous events,” President Ruto affirmed.
The breach occurred when Kenyan protesters, angered by contentious tax increases under debate, broke through parliament’s barricades and entered the complex. Amnesty International Kenya reported that hundreds of protesters clashed with police outside Nairobi’s parliament, leading to police firing live rounds and injuring many.
Amid the chaos, a section of parliament housing offices was set ablaze as protesters stormed the buildings, with police responding with heavy gunfire to control the defiant mob. Protesters have been demonstrating against the Finance Bill for the past week, arguing that it imposes undue burdens on an already struggling population.
The international community, including the United States and the United Kingdom, has condemned the violence and loss of life during the protests. In a joint statement, ambassadors and high commissioners from 13 countries expressed their concern over the violence and resultant deaths.
“We are deeply concerned by the violence witnessed in many parts of the country during the recent protests, and are especially shocked by the scenes witnessed outside the Kenyan Parliament,” the statement read.