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President Ruto terms Tuesday events treasonous, vows expeditious response

Tonny Ndungu By Tonny Ndungu Published on: June 25, 2024 09:24 (EAT)
President Ruto terms Tuesday events treasonous, vows expeditious response

President William Ruto on Tuesday night described the breach of parliament as treasonous, vowing to crack down on the 'organisers and financiers of the protests, which entered their fifth day. 

President Ruto was addressing the nation following a day of protests that killed at least five people and injured over 125 others.

According to the Head of State, criminals hijacked a critical conversation, causing havoc throughout the country 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 to deployed secure the country and  restore order and normalcy," President Ruto said.

According to President Ruto, it is inconceivable that criminals posing as peaceful protesters can terrorise people, elected representatives, and institutions and expect to get away with it.

"We must isolate crime from democratic expression and separate criminals from people exercising their freedom of expression and divergent opinion," he added. 

A tough-talking Ruto promised a full and prompt response to Tuesday's events to ensure that such an event did not occur again.

" I assure Kenyans that we shall provide a full, effective, and expeditious response to today's treasonous events," President Ruto said. 

Kenyan protesters broke through parliament's barricades on Tuesday and entered the complex, where lawmakers were debating contentious tax increases that have sparked widespread anger.

According to Amnesty International Kenya, hundreds of protesters broke through police barriers outside Nairobi's parliament, prompting police to fire live rounds and injure "many" people.

A section of parliament that houses offices was also set on fire as protesters stormed the buildings, accompanied by heavy gunfire from police officers battling the defiant mob.

Protesters who have rallied against the contentious Bill, which was passed by the House on Tuesday, have been picketing for the past week, arguing that if passed, the Bill will burden an already burdened population.

The United States of America, the United Kingdom and a host of other countries have condemned the abduction and killing of protesters in Kenya during the ongoing anti-Finance Bill protests that have been witnessed across the country.

In a joint statement, Ambassadors & High Commissioners from 13 countries expressed concern over the violence witnessed across the country and the 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," reads the statement.

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