Hundreds of Kenyans gathered in Nairobi on Sunday for a memorial concert following deadly protests over tax hikes, which led to the country’s leader scrapping a controversial finance bill.
Initially peaceful rallies, largely led by Gen-Z, turned violent, resulting in 39 deaths, according to rights groups.
President William Ruto responded by rejecting the bill and promising spending cuts.
People began arriving at Uhuru Park around midday to listen to performers and honor those who had died.
Victor Waithaka, 29, attended to pay tribute to the “heroes who died during the protests on the rejected finance bill.”
“This is our country, and we have the right to fight for our rights,” he said. Large crowds chanted “Ruto must go,” echoing previous demands, and waved Kenyan flags as they enjoyed the performances.
Prominent demonstrator Hanifa Adan said “the fight has just begun, the political awakening is just the beginning.” Police blocked some roads in the city early Sunday morning.
The concert coincided with “Saba Saba” (Seven Seven), marking the day in 1990 when the opposition demanded a return to multi-party democracy.
This year’s event followed Ruto’s Friday announcement of budget cuts and increased borrowing to offset the shortfall from scrapping the finance bill.
After his speech, Ruto engaged in a sometimes heated exchange on X with younger Kenyans on the social media platform.