In response to public outcry, President William Ruto of Kenya has ordered a review of proposed pay increases for members of his cabinet and parliament. This decision follows two weeks of mass protests that forced the president to withdraw a controversial finance bill that included tax hikes.

Lyn Mengich, Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), announced on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, that the commission would “freeze” salary increases for state officers due to “the current realities of the economy.”

The SRC had initially recommended a pay increase of 2% to 5% for all state officials, including judges.

President Ruto’s decision to abandon the tax increase plans followed complaints from protesters who argued they could not afford the hikes due to the sharp rise in the cost of living. Many suggested the government should first reduce spending.

Although Ruto has vowed to uphold this and reduce the cost of governance, leaving him exploring other ways to implement the 2024 budget, Kenyans are making new demands, including the resignation of the President.

Why protesters are making new demands, including a call for President Ruto to resign.

A day after the Finance Bill was withdrawn by the President, Amina Wako, the editorial lead at Eastleigh Voice, one of Kenya’s news platforms, told Neusroom that withdrawing the bill would not be the end of the protest.

“As a country, we have a lot of issues that we want addressed. So I am sure this is not the end; the Finance Bill was just one of the issues that needed immediate intervention,” she said.

She continued, “We have issues from unemployment, corruption, the Land Amendment Bill, to unconstitutional offices like CAS’s/office of spouses (first lady, second lady, and wife of the prime secretary), which are all being funded by taxpayers.”

So far, at least 39 people have been killed since the protests began, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). However, President Ruto puts the figure at 19.