Kenyan Demonstrators have been singing defiant chants as protests over the Finance Bill 2024 heaved across Kenyan towns expressing their collective outrage and demands.
As demonstrators rallied up for protests on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, one resounding cry stood out; ‘Ruto must go!’
Protesters’ chants, directed at President William Ruto, summed up their passion and determination to demand accountability and change.
Many of those calling for Ruto’s resignation represented broader dissatisfaction with the current political landscape.
Among the banners, placards, and passionate voices, “Zakayo Shuka!” was another chant that emerged as a rallying cry, unifying protesters in their common goal to make government more accountable and transparent.
An array of protest chants painted an illuminating picture of the protesters’ grievances and aspirations as the movement unfolded. Whether calling for the reduction of taxes or demanding political accountability, the chants demonstrated the people’s collective will.
Below is a list of chants sung and grievances shared across various towns in Finance Bill 2024 protests;
Nakuru County
Many Nakuru protestors carried twigs and marched in support of the total shutdown protest, chanting ‘Ruto Must Go.’ Here’s what they said,
“We want to say this without fear of contradiction, we want to say tumechoka and Ruto shuka, punda amechoka, it is a wrap.”
“Tunataka kukumbusha Zakayo, you cannot rob a naked man, and we are telling you today, Zakayo utashuka.”
“Sisi tumechoka Zakayo, tunakuomba tafadhali ushukishe vitu chini.”
“Mimi nasimamia wanafunzi, wamepandisha hadi fare, wanataka sasa tuende aje shule, Ruto must go!”
“You are taking police to Haiti yet sisi hatuna kazi hapa Kenya, sasa huko Haiti ni priority, sisi vijana hatuna kazi, tumechoka na Ruto, therefore we reject the finance bill by all means, Punda amechoka.”
Nairobi County
A city known for its party life, residents in Nairobi had a variety of ways of communicating, from ‘Ruto must go in one minute to dancing on a lorry chanting the famous Gidigidi maji maji of unbwogable.
“Who can bwogo me? I say, who can bwogo me? I am unbwogable,” Nairobi protestors chanted.
#REJECTFINANCEBILL2024 pic.twitter.com/tCGljkNoMn
— Sheila Mwanyigha (@MissMwanyigha) June 25, 2024
Mombasa County
Residents in Mombasa wanted to inform the government that they marched to the streets in honour of their parents who had already participated in such protests in the past, and now it was their turn to rest.They also added that they want President Ruto to resign.
“Tunaomba bwana Ruto atushukishie kila kitu chini, tunateseka tu kila mahali, left, right and centre, hatukumchagua atunyanyase, tulimchagua atusaidie. Ruto Shuka, Zakayo shuka,”
“Sisi watu wa Mombasa hatutaki finace bill 2024, tunareject finance bill, wazazi wetu wamepambana na wamechoka, sasa sisi vijana ndio tunawakilisha, na tunasema hatuna haja na finace bill, na wabunge tunawacheki.”
“Mr. President have mercy on us, tumechoka. Anatudanganya na ako corrupt, alitudangyanya ukimaliza university unapata kazi, kazi ziko wapi? Hatuna kazi, Ruto must go!”
“Kila mtu hayuko stable, anafaa aangalie sisi wasichana anataka titoe wapi 115 ya kununua pads? Hatuna kazi, hatuna nini.”
“Kusema ukweli mimi sina matumaini kwa sababu Mr. President alikuwa ametuahidi mambo mazuri, tukamchagua tukifikii yeye ndiye mkombozi wetu. Lakini kifikia sasa yetu ndiye anatuumiza zaidi. Kwa hivyo hatuna imani tena na yeye tumechoka.”
Eldoret County
Protesters in Eldoret’s solidarity appeal were primarily about employment, which they claim the Finance Bill 2024 does not support.
By taking to the streets, they made it clear that they were already young and jobless, begging Ruto to address these pressing issues before holding a meeting.
“The finance bill that the president is proposing doesn’t make sense. Because it seems sasa he is putting this country into his pocket kwa sababu sasa anaweza aje anza kutax magari na hiyo ni source of employment kwa wakenya, ukianza kutax magari ni kumaanisha unatoa employment to many youths.”
“Unasema unataka kuongea na sisi vijana unataka kuongea na sisi kama tuko njaa.”
Thika Road
The protestors in areas along Thika Road mainly advocated for women’s and children’s rights, saying the bill contradicts Ruto’s commitments.
‘Tunataka kuambia Ruto, when he came to power he promised wamama wetu kwamba, atawapatia free pads na free pampers, kwa saa hii ameweka tax kwa vitu alikuwa atapeana for free. Na tunasema reject finance bill na tunaikataa in total.”
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