The ongoing protests in Kenya appear to have lost momentum as they enter their fourth week. In contrast to previous weeks, the number of protesters has dwindled, and the intensity of the demonstrations has waned. However, it remains to be seen whether this lull is temporary or indicative of a larger shift in public sentiment.
On Tuesday morning, Kangemi, a suburb of Nairobi that had previously been a focal point of the protests, showed little sign of being an epicenter for political dissent. Similarly, other cities and towns across Kenya, such as Nakuru and Machakos, have experienced a decrease in protest activity.
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On Tuesday morning, Kangemi, a Nairobi suburb did not look like the epicentre of a crucial protest. While it has hosted thousands of protesters in the past three weeks, only a few hundred protesters were in Nairobi’s chilly streets on Tuesday morning, suggesting public anger may have subsided.
In Nairobi, traffic interruption is minimal, and no major roads have been blocked. The situation is similar in other cities and towns like Nakuru and Machakos. Muted protests are also ongoing in Mlolongo and Kitengela, towns on the outskirts of Nairobi.
It will count as divine intervention for President William Ruto, who asked for prayers on Sunday as public support for his government reached critical lows. He has made concessions to pacify Kenyans, withdrawing the controversial tax bill, slashing the budget, and firing his cabinet. He will hope the slow start to today’s protest is a sign that the worst is over.
On Monday, Ruto claimed the Ford Foundation, an international non-governmental organisation, is sponsoring the protests.
“We ask the Ford Foundation to explain to Kenyans its role in the recent protests,” Ruto wrote on X on Monday “We will call out all those who are bent on rolling back our hard-won democracy.”
The Ford Foundation denied the allegations and said it did not “fund or sponsor the recent protests against the finance bill and have a strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking.”
