Bulletins and News Discussion from August 26th to September 1st, 2024 - Ruto Must Go - COTW: Kenya

Image is from this Black Agenda Report article by the Communist Party of Kenya.

In June, large anti-government protests shook Kenya. President Ruto and his parliament were attempting to pass the new Finance Bill 2024, which, among other things, would have hiked taxes on the population, with a 16% sales tax on bread and a 25% duty on cooking oil, as well as new taxes on financial transanctions and vehicle ownership. There would also have been levies on women's sanitary products and digital goods such as phones, among other measures affecting hospitals.

Hundreds of protestors stormed the parliament building and began to tear the place apart. Shortly afterwards, on June 26th, Ruto announced that he was withdrawing the bill, calling the tens of deaths and hundreds of injuries "unfortunate". A couple weeks later, Ruto then fired his entire cabinet (aside from his foreign minister) and communicated his wish to the nation to form a "broad-based government". Funnily enough, in July, it was announced that the majority of positions were to be filled by members of the old cabinet, while other positions were taken by members of the opposition. This has prompted scepticism among the population, including calls to resign, but there haven't (yet) been any major anti-government events to pressure this outcome. The Communist Party of Kenya has been working to get some of their comrades back after they were abducted by the police during the protest period, and have otherwise supported the protests against Ruto.

The measures in the bill were strongly encouraged by the IMF. Kenya's debt is currently around $80 billion, of which about 10% is owed to China for infrastructure projects (such as a railway linking the capital, Nairobi, to the port city of Mombasa, as well as 11,000 kilometers of road throughout the country). The rest is owed to a combination of the US, IMF, World Bank, and Saudi Arabia. More than half of government revenue is going towards repaying the debt - but despite these massive payments, it has only grown. The most recent round of IMF plundering (and the impetus for current events) began in 2021, when they offered a 38-month programme to "help" Kenya, which would involve the usual warfare on the poor and the dismemberment of any useful societal institutions.

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The Country of the Week is Kenya! Feel free to chime in with books, essays, longform articles, even stories and anecdotes or rants. More detail here.

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The Country of the Week is Kenya!
Feel free to post or recommend any books, essays, studies, articles, and even stories related to Kenya.
If you know a lot about the country and want to share your knowledge and opinions, here are some questions to get you started if you wish:

Check out the reading list.
Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain's Gulag in Kenya by Caroline Elkins (2005).
Histories of the Hanged: The Dirty War in Kenya and the End of Empire by David Anderson (2005).
The Building of the Communist Party of Kenya by the Communist Party of Kenya (2023).
- From the Black Agenda Report in June:
  The Communist Party of Kenya vehemently condemns President Ruto's recent actions, which expose his true allegiance as a subservient agent of Western imperialism. His visit to Washington and address at the G7 summit confirm beyond doubt that he is held captive by the foreign forces that facilitated his ascent to power. This is no longer speculation but a glaring fact: President Ruto is a puppet of the Western ruling class, betraying the Kenyan people at every turn.
  Domestically, Ruto’s policies are skewed towards US imperialism, perpetuating economic and social inequalities. His overt camaraderie with the genocidal Zionist Israel regime further implicates him in international atrocities. Ruto’s support for the NATO proxy war with Russia in Ukraine underscores his role as a mouthpiece for CIA-scripted propaganda. This betrayal extends to the economic front, where the dictates of IMF and World Bank economists drive our fiscal policies, pushing unpopular financial laws that benefit foreign interests over Kenyan sovereignty.
  Moreover, Kenya's recent designation as a non-NATO ally puts our country in the crossfire of global military conflicts. Under Ruto’s rule, the establishment of an illegal US military base in Wajir and the expansion of the British military base in Nanyuki demonstrate a total surrender of our sovereignty. The complete handover of Manda Island in Lamu for US military operations further highlights Ruto's role as a tool of US military escapades, as compromising our national security and sovereignty for foreign interests.
  President Ruto has committed the ultimate act of treason. Once believed to be a patriot and defender of the people's rights, he has turned his back on those who trusted him. His rhetoric of change was hollow; instead of uplifting the poor, he has enriched the wealthy, sowed division, and perpetuated corruption. This is not merely a political misstep; it is a profound moral failing, a stain on his legacy that history will not easily forget.
  The Kenyan people deserve leaders who prioritize their well-being, who recognize that their power comes from the people and must answer to the people. Ruto’s betrayal will be remembered as a choice of power over principle, personal ambition over public service. History will judge him harshly for this.
  There is no redemption for Ruto until he falls from power. The Communist Party of Kenya, alongside progressive organizations, hereby announces the intensification of our protests. We will exert maximum pressure to lead all processes necessary to remove Ruto from office and hold him accountable for his ongoing crimes. Our struggle is for a new phase in Kenyan history—one where true sovereignty, justice, and integrity prevail.
  The path forward for President Ruto, if he dares to take it, is clear: he must listen to the people, address their needs, and act with honesty and integrity. Yet, we recognize that such a course correction is unlikely. Thus, our movement remains resolute. We will not rest until Ruto is removed from power and prosecuted, ensuring that Kenya can begin a new chapter free from the yoke of foreign domination.
  For the people, for justice, for a truly sovereign Kenya.

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