Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi claimed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, that the ongoing ‘Occupy Parliament’ protests in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya were backed by a foreign power.
Ngunyi alleged that the protests, which aimed to reject the Finance Bill, were sponsored by foreign entities dissatisfied with President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government.
Ngunyi urged members of parliament to consider not only the protesting citizens but also external forces that may be influencing the demonstrations.
“Dear MPs, have you considered that a foreign power, unhappy with Ruto wants to Occupy Parliament?
“This protest against Finance Bill 2024 is not organic. Telephone numbers etc.. Someone wants to destabilise Kenya and create an Arab Spring! And our foolish children are the toys,” Mutahi Ngunyi noted in a statement posted on X.
According to veteran political analyst, a majority of Kenyans are not protesting against the Finance Bill because they believe it is bad, but rather they are being influenced by undisclosed foreign powers.
This assertion comes as protests against the Bill escalate across the country, driven by concerns over increased taxes that could exacerbate the already high cost of living.
The protests commenced on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Nairobi, with citizens urging MPs to reject the Bill as it underwent its First Reading in the House.
Social media played a significant role in mobilizing citizens, with the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill being used to share MPs’ and Senators’ phone numbers, encouraging citizens to urge them to reject the proposed Bill.
Interestingly, the protests were organized independently of support from Azimio leaders such as Raila Odinga, Martha Karua, and Kalonzo Musyoka.
However, Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai countered the narrative, suggesting that the motivation behind the youth protests in Nairobi was to gain views on TikTok. Nyamai argued during parliamentary debates on June 19, 2024, that many young people were participating in protests to create videos for sharing on social media platforms, including TikTok.
She maintained that there was nothing inherently wrong with the Bill and suggested that Kenyans were protesting merely to increase their social media followers and please their friends and followers.
Meanwhile, Molo MP and National Assembly Finance Committee Chairperson Kuria Kimani revealed that he had received Ksh168,000 from Kenyans who were confirming his phone number after obtaining it from social media. Kimani sought advice on what to do with the money during the Bill’s second reading in parliament on Wednesday.
