Kenya Shuts Schools Over Anti-Cost Of Living Protests

Schools Nairobi, the capital city of kenya, and the coastal town of Mombasa have been shut indefinitely as three days of nationwide cost-of-living protests kicked off on Wednesday.

Last week’s violent protests resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people.

Interior Ministry said the government has received credible security intelligence that criminal elements planning to unleash terror and violence on the public today.

Police Chief, Japheth Koome, has declared the anti-tax hike protests illegal, even though the High Court had on Monday rejected a request to declare them illegal.

During similar protests last Wednesday, the police shot at least 10 people, and teargassed more than 50 school children while in their classroom in Nairobi.

There have been reports of police firing teargas canisters at protesters in neighbourhoods around Nairobi.

Protesters armed with crude weapons have also barricaded roads in western Kenya and extorted money from road users.

Last September, Ruto removed fuel subsidies, leading to a spike in the prices of basic commodities like bread and maize flour, which are directly affected by the cost of energy and transport.

Meanwhile, churches and civil rights groups have called for Ruto and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga to resolve their differences through dialogue and call off the protests.

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“It is not too late for Azmio to halt the planned protests and give talks another shot in the wider interest of the country,” National Council of NGOs Chairman Stephen Kipchumba Cheboi said in a statement on Tuesday.

The president has accused his rival of attempting to leverage discontent over the state of the economy to attain personal political goals.

“I want to tell Raila Odinga that elections ended on August 8 last year,” Ruto said. “You can’t seek the leadership of our country through bloodshed, deaths and destruction of property. There is no way you will change Kenya through the route you have taken.”

Odinga has failed to win the last five presidential votes but has secured senior positions in government in the past by making deals with those in power following spasms of unrest.

“We recognise the daily hardship faced by many Kenyans and urge all parties to table their concerns through a meaningful dialogue,” a group of 12 foreign embassies said in a joint statement on Tuesday.