Photo: Courtesy
During the Occupy Parliament Protests, several youths were arrested and reportedly assaulted by the police. Additionally, activists were kidnapped by unidentified individuals.
Activist Shadrack Kiprono, who rallied people to oppose the contentious Finance Bill 2024, remains unaccounted for following his abduction.
Shadrack Kiprono, speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday, June 19, confirmed that he was neither a Gen Z nor an activist until the protests on Tuesday, June 18.
“I am not an activist; I am a banker. I am not Gen Z. I am one year older than Babu Owino. Mr. Babu Owino, my team has said that by the time we leave here, we need half a million to facilitate that team. Figure it out,” he stated. When asked about his participation in the demonstrations, Kiprono clarified that he had been using his X account to figure out how to join the protests.
After his post gained widespread attention, many young people recognized him and started to follow him on the day of the event. “I work as a data scientist. I was chatting with a friend and we decided to chip in KSh 2,000 to print flyers for the protests. Unfortunately, the tweet went viral. We went to Capital Centre to print the flyers, but we were asked to leave, so we moved to the CBD. I started shouting, and people began to gather around. Some even contributed money to print more flyers. It all happened spontaneously,” he explained.
Without his knowledge, unidentified individuals were tailing him to monitor and thwart his activities. In a surveillance video that has since circulated widely, he was captured at a restaurant in South B Sanasana. At least three individuals seized him and forcefully escorted him into a waiting vehicle parked in the establishment’s parking lot. They swiftly departed, leaving onlookers at the restaurant in astonishment. Following his abduction, Kenyans have flooded social media platforms, demanding his immediate release.
Nairobi Chapel on Ngong Road has rejected Finance Bill 2024. In a statement, the church’s senior reverend, Nick Korir, praised the youths for their peaceful participation in protests against the bill. He expressed pride in how the younger generation, particularly Gen Zs, had bravely confronted alleged corruption within the Kenya Kwanza government. Reverend Korir emphasized the church’s firm stance against the controversial bill, highlighting the government’s perceived failure to fulfill its promises.
Here are the key points about the Finance Bill protests and related events:
- Pastor James Ng’an’ga’s Involvement: Renowned pastor James Ng’an’ga announced his intention to participate in the anti-bill protests, challenging the police to use teargas against him.
- Apology and Promise from Bishop Samson Mburu: Nyahururu bishop Samson Mburu publicly apologized to Gen Zs in the presence of President William Ruto. He also pledged to actively engage with the President on their behalf regarding the Finance Bill.
- Protest at Holy Family Church: During a demonstration, a protester raised the Kenyan flag inside Holy Family Church and urged the congregation to reject the Finance Bill.
These events illustrate widespread public and religious involvement in the protests against the Finance Bill 2024 in Kenya, reflecting varied forms of dissent and calls for governmental accountability.
