Kenya (MNN) – Kenyan streets are quiet again after the last round of anti-fiscal demonstrations.
For Friday there was “almost no sign of protests, at least in Nairobi”. Trans World Radiosays Bernice Gatere.
“Shops are open, public transport is back and kids are back at school.”
Political opposition leader Raila Odinga recently called for a three-day protest from July 19. Gatere urged TWR Kenya staff to work from home on Wednesday because “when [there are] protests, it disrupts the transport system so that people cannot go to work or return to their homes”.
Police arrested 300 people across the country on Wednesday com ongoing protests climbed The United Nations says so As many as 23 people have been killed in clashes between police and protesters this month, but the Kenyan government disputes that figure.
Amnesty International reports 30 civilian deaths since March.
“The protest is included in the Constitution, but it is peaceful [protesting,]”, says Gatere.
“Unfortunately, protests always seem to turn violent and the police respond too forcefully.”
Economic difficulties are driving people to the streets. “The cost of living continued to rise under the new government, which came to power on the promise of reducing the cost of living, especially for the poor,” says Gatere.
Believers call for peace while politicians fan the flames of public discontent. “Church leaders offered to mediate the differences between the opposition leader and the president,” says Gatere.
“The Body of Christ has been involved in trying to get the two sides to talk instead of taking to the streets. The dialogue did start and then the talks collapsed.”
Pray for politicians to stop rioting in Kenya.
“They (opposition leaders) have not given a timetable for the next round [of protests]but they say this is not the end,” says Gatere.
“Hopefully as soon as they’ve recovered from this one, they’ll be strategizing and then giving their supporters the next course of action.”
The header image is a representative stock photo depicting activity on a street in Nairobi. (Photo courtesy of Nicholas Gray/Unsplash)
