Kenya’s Gen Z anti-tax revolutionaries – the new faces of protest

Those who did not make it to the streets helped spread the word by sharing messages, pictures and videos on social media.

As the protest lacked any clear leadership, the police have found it hard to target those behind it. They banned the march on a technicality though the protesters said all requirements had been met.

And unlike previous political anti-government protests, it was not characterised by looting, destruction of property and stone-throwing.

No political affiliations or ethnic alignments were mentioned – just a clear determination by the protesters to be heard.

Several hours after the demonstrators had mobilised, the presidency appeared to bow to the pressure and announced that it would scrap some of the bill’s most contentious provisions, including a proposed 16% value-added tax (VAT) on bread.

“We have listened to the view of Kenyans,” Kuria Kimani, the chairman of parliament’s finance committee, said at a press briefing attended by President Ruto and lawmakers in the ruling coalition.

Changes to the finance bill were driven by a “need to protect Kenyans from increased cost of living”, Mr Kimani added.

The government had earlier defended the tax hikes, which had been projected to raise $2.7bn (£2.1bn), saying they were needed to cut reliance on external borrowing.

Other proposed taxes that have been axed include ones on cooking oil, mobile money services and on motor vehicles, which critics said would have hit the insurance industry.

MPs are now debating the revised bill and are expected to vote on it next Tuesday.

The opposition, which did not participate in the demonstrations, wants the withdrawal of the entire bill, terming it “punitive”.