It took several days of protests for the President to respond and accept the reality that the citizenry were opposed to the tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024 and by this time, several lives had been lost with many others injured.
Following the success of the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests that was attributed to the power of gen Z, the protests have now evolved into calls for greater accountability in government with new demands surfacing.
It took several days of protests to accept the reality that the citizenry were opposed to the tax proposals in the bill and by this time, several lives had been lost with many others injured.
The delay in responding to the demands to reject the Finance Bill 2024 appears to have opened the window for the inclusion of other concerns that the citizenry now want to be addressed, with some calling for President Ruto's resignation.
A list circulated online and dubbed “non-negotiable” now wants the Executive to obey all court orders.
The scrapping of all illegal and illegitimate offices that sink up billions is also in the list, which calls for the scrapping of the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) position.
The controversial Housing Levy is also included in the demands with a call to scrap it off and publish records of how the funds collected thus far have been utilized, with full refunds for all contributors.
Government officials with criminal records and integrity concerns are also in the eye of the storm with the protesters calling for their immediate firing.
Further, the protesters want the removal of public funding of the Office of the First Lady, Second Lady and Prime Cabinet Secretary’s Spouse with the funds directed to employing teachers and doctors.
More demands have been made for the reduction of Members of Parliaments’ salaries and allowances, capping them at Ksh.200,000.
Wastage of public funds is also an issue that the protesters want addressed, advising that all government officials should use government vehicles, trains and airplanes.
The list also calls calls for the immediate firing of all government officials with criminal records and integrity issues, while being advised to constitute the IEBC within the next 30 days and employ JSS teachers and intern doctors.
The list further calls for the restoration of the school feeding programme with a final demand that the President resigns from office.
Focus now shifts on President William Ruto who is yet to comment on demands that have surfaces in the gen Z protests that took the country by storm with no leader.