The resignation of Kenyan Vice President Rigathi Gachagua may lead to the resumption of protests, but they will not be as massive as the anti-government demonstrations in June, Kenyan lawyer and activist Nafula Wafula told TASS.
The day before, the Kenyan Senate voted to impeach the vice president on charges of corruption, undermining the government and failing to subjugate, but after Gachagua appealed to the court, the decision was postponed until October 24. Meanwhile, on Friday morning, Kenyan President William Ruto nominated former interior minister Kithure Kindiki as his deputy president, and members of the National Assembly voted unanimously in favor of the nomination.
‘I don’t rule out Gachagua holding protests, especially in his home region of Mount Kenya. I am more than certain that such a thing could happen. But not on the scale of what happened in June. If people take to the streets to protest his resignation, it will give him political clout and demonstrate his relevance to Kenyans. Since I kno
w he won’t back down that easily, I wouldn’t be surprised if protests start. But I don’t think they will be nationwide, they will be regional. He doesn’t have that kind of support across Kenya,’ she said.
At the same time, the expert noted that the parliament’s decision could be challenged in court. “During the June protests, people were in favor of the resignation of not only the vice president, but also the president himself, so such a call could be made again during the protests.”
Protests against tax hikes began in Kenya on June 18 and escalated on June 25 when protesters set fire to the parliament and city council buildings in the capital. According to the National Human Rights Commission, 50 people have died and more than 350 have been injured since June 18. The bill included an increase in the value-added tax rate on transport, food and mobile phones, measures recommended by the IMF. The Kenyan president later withdrew the controversial bill.
Kenyan authorities later said they intended to prosecute
politicians and MPs involved in organising anti-government protests in June linked to the vice president
Source: Burkina Information Agency