Friday, 28 June 2024

Dear President William Ruto,

We the undersigned African CSOs, Movements, activists, human rights defenders and citizens have followed with keen interest the protests in Kenya against the Finance Bill 2024. The #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests are a legitimate expression of popular discontent which is an inalienable right of every citizen.

In the spirit of Pan-African solidarity and Ubuntu, anything that affects any African anywhere affects all Africans everywhere.

Since the beginning of the protests, we have observed that the protesters have been peaceful and yet they have been confronted with violence by the police and other security forces. That violence resulted in the deaths of some protestors, killed by their own country’s police. Many more have been injured and are still in hospitals receiving treatment. Rampant arrests, tear gas and live bullets have been a regular feature of the police and security response.

Despite the violent response, the young people have shown courage. We salute their courage and conviction to see a better Kenya. A better Kenya means a better Africa.

We strongly condemn the gross violations of the human rights of the protestors and call on the government of Kenya to;

• Stop killing protestors: we have seen videos of people being shot dead, of dead bodies on the streets of Nairobi. As the Commander-in-Chief, you can order the police and security forces to desist from firing at protestors who are merely exercising their constitutional right as citizens. Shooting by police has killed a number of protestors and injured many more.
• Stop the abductions of protestors: independent reports by lawyers and human rights defenders indicate several people have been abducted and are still missing. The government of Kenya must produce all those who have been so kept by government operatives, investigate and punish perpetrators and desist from such acts.
• Respect the human and constitutional rights of protestors: respect the human rights of the protestors who are only exercising their constitutional rights to assembly and free expression as enshrined in the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. Rampant violations of human rights of protestors as we have seen in the past week are completely unacceptable.
• Release all arrested protestors: all those who have been arrested for protesting must be released immediately and unconditionally.
• De-escalate the situation and engage in meaningful dialogue: instead of confronting protests with violence, the government can de-escalate the situation by responding to the protestors demands against over-taxation, corruption and misgovernance.

It is important to note that even though the protests have abated, concerns remain that participants in the protests do not feel safe. The security forces in the country have a track record of following up on organizers of protests, intimidating, abducting and abusing their human rights. We place the government on notice that we would continue to monitor and take on any acts of abuse targeted at law-abiding citizens of the Republic of Kenya. We believe that in the spirit of Ubuntu, whatever affects one African affects all Africans.

Sincerely,

Signed and endorsed by the following organizations, movements and CSOs

• A Common Future – Cameroon
• A Portée de Mains – Democratic Republic of Congo
• AA International Burundi – Burundi
• Abak peace foundation – Nigeria
• AbantuLives – South Africa
• AbibiNsroma Foundation – Ghana
• Acção Florestal – Angola
• Accountability Project Gambia – Gambia
• ACN – Zimbabwe
• ActionAid Zambia – Zambia
• Action for a Sustainable Environment – Cameroon
• Active Citizen Initiative Africa – Kenya
• ACTIVISTA Ghana – Ghana
• Activista The Gambia – Gambia
• ACUP – Ghana
• Advocacy Network for Africa (AdNA) – USA
• Advocate Club – Nigeria
• Africa 1 – Gambia
• Africa 4 Kenyans – Nigeria
• Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice – Kenya
• Africa Development Interchange Network (ADIN) – Cameron
• Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland – Ireland
• Africa Unite – South Africa
• Africa United Sports Club e.V. – Germany
• Africa World Now Project/IWW
• African Election Observers Network – Uganda
• African Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD Initiative) – South Africa
• African Leadership University – Rwanda
• African migration – South Africa
• Africans Rising
• ActionAid Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone
• African Students For Liberty – Uganda
• African Youth Parliament For Water – Nigeria
• Africans for Kenya – Nigeria
• Africans4Kenya – Germany
• AfricTivistes – Senegal
• Afrika youth movement – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Afrikan Indigenous Leaders
• Agir pour la sécurité et la souveraineté alimentaire (ASSA) – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Akua Britwum
• Akurase Mpuntuo Foundation – Ghana
• Alibra – Nigeria
• Alliance of Heath – Mozambique
• Alpha Action for Social and Economic Development (AASED) – Uganda
• Alvin Anthony – South Africa
• Alvorecer – Mozambique
• Amaclare Connect & Development Initiative – Nigeria
• Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe
• Amkeni Community-Based Organization Mombasa – Kenya
• ANC – South Africa
• Angel voices – United Kingdom
• APNEK – Tunisia
• Appui solidaire pour le renforcement de l’aide au développement – Mali
• ARHA – Zambia
• Afrikans Rising in Solidarity and Empowerment (ARISE) – Norway
• Arrivati – Germany
• Associação MASUIKA – Angola
• Association des Jeunes De Gattaga – Mauritanie
• Association For Peace Building & Leadership Training (Peace Club) – Nigeria
• ATFM – Tunisia
• Atlantic Fellows – United Kingdom
• Azanian Peoples Organization – South Africa
• Biba Transformations LBG – Ghana
• Big Boyz Nation – Zambia
• Bijwanka Enterprises – Uganda
• BISO PEUPLE – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Black Lives Matter Philadelphia – USA
• Black Veterinary Forum – South Africa
• Black Queen African Creations – South Africa
• Blue Revolution
• Botsotso – South Africa
• Bridging the Gap Botswana – Botswana
• BSR – RSA
• Budget Justice Coalition South Africa – South Africa
• Build and Enlighten Communities Initiative – Kenya
• Bukamuso Foundation – Zambia
• Burundian Youth Empowerment Program – Burundi
• CADHO – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Cameroon Women’s Peace Movement – Cameroon
• CAN Africa – Kenya
• CAN Zambia – Zambia
• Centre for Alternative Development – Zimbabwe
• Centre for Civic Governance and Environmental Justice – Kenya
• Centre for Coordination of Youth Activities (CCYA) – Sierra Leone
• Centre for the Development of Women and Children – Zimbabwe
• CHEP – Zambia
• Child Rights Network for Southern Africa – South Africa
• CISE Malawi – Malawi
• Citizens Gavel – Nigeria
• Civic Awareness Foundation – Zambia
• Civil Society – Nigeria
• Civil Society Development Network/Darfur – Sudan
• Clevenard.com – Ghana
• Climate Action Network South Africa – South Africa
• Climate Change and Environmental Defender – Namibia
• Climate Clock – Democratic Republic of Congo
• CODET Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe
• Collective Youth Stand for Change – Mali
• Community Employment for Progress Organisation – South Sudan
• Connected Goals – Nigeria
• Conscious Millennials Foundation – Namibia
• Conseil Territorial de la Jeunesse du Territoire de Rutshuru – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations – Ethiopia
• CRZ – Zambia
• DAI-CLAIM – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Debt For Climate
• Democracy at Heart – Uganda
• Democracy Moves – USA
• Didan Youth – Nigeria
• Dignité Humaine – Democratic Republic of Congo
• DYVOPA – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Dzuka cholinga youth ZAMBIA – Zambia
• eBukhosini Solutions – Azania
• Economic Fighters League – Ghana
• EDFU Foundation – USA
• Education for Africa – Kenya
• EFF – South Africa
• Elev8 Africa Networks – South Africa
• End Femicide Kenya – Kenya
• Environmental Empower Uganda – Uganda
• Equality Rights Africa Organization
• ERA/FoE Nigeria – Nigeria
• Extinction Rebellion Berlin – Germany
• Faith Dawah Foundation – Ghana
• Falia – Senegal
• Feminist for peace rights and justice centre – Kenya
• Feminist Macroeconomic Alliance of Malawi – Malawi
• FFF Africa – Namibia
• Fields of Green for ALL NPC – South Africa
• Fight Inequality Alliance Zambia – Zambia
• Food and Rural Development Foundation – Cameroon
• Forum Drugs Mediterranean – France
• Freedom Movement Uganda – Uganda
• Friends of Angola (FoA) – Angola
• Friends of Franbarnie International – Liberia
• Friends of the Earth Africa
• Friends with Environment in Development – Uganda
• Future Generation – Kenya
• GAC UK – United Kingdom
• GAIA Africa – South Africa
• GCA – Austria
• Generation Lead Zambia – Zambia
• Generational Reformer Foundation – Ghana
• Girl Zone Empowerment Foundation – Zambia
• Girls safeguarding Girls – Zambia
• Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem preservation (GIFSEP) – Nigeria
• Global Youth-Link Organisation – South Sudan
• Go green initiative – Nigeria
• Graben asbl – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Grassroots Development Common Initiative Group (GRADECIG) – Cameroon
• Green Earth Initiative Karamoja – Uganda
• Green Foster Action Uganda – Uganda
• Green String Network – Kenya
• GreenMinds – Kenya
• GreenPeace Africa – Kenya
• Gzone empower – Zambia
• Haki Nawiri Afrika – Kenya
• Hand – Sudan
• Health of Mother Earth Foundation – Nigeria
• HOMEF South Sudan – South Sudan
• Hope for Street Children and Vulnerable People – Nigeria
• Hope for Vulnerable People – Uganda
• Hope for youth Development Organisation – Tanzania
• Hope of Africa (HOFA) – Cameroon
• HRDS 254 – Kenya
• Human Is Right – Cameroon
• Human Lives Matter – Kenya
• Human Power Organisation – Malawi
• Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) – Ghana
• Hummingbird Action for Peace and Development – South Sudan
• Ile Igoke – United Kingdom
• Impact Steward Projects – Zambia
• ImPower’d Woman – South Africa
• Initiative pour le Développement Communautaire (IDC) – Senegal
• Inspire Better Education Tanzania – Tanzania
• INSPIRIT Creatives NGO – Germany
• International Governance Institute IGI-Cameroon – Cameroon and United Kingdom
• International Human Rights Commission – Angola
• International Law and Policy in Africa Network – United Kingdom
• International Relations Society of Kenya – Kenya
• International Service for Human Rights – Switzerland
• ITUC-Africa – Togo
• Jendagbeni Centre for Social Change Communications – Sierra Leone
• Jenga Jumuiya CBO – Kenya
• JIF’AFRIK – Senegal
• Jubilee Movement Sheffield – United Kingdom
• Jovens Unidos de Luanda (JUNIL) – Angola
• Justiça Ambiental JA! – Mozambique
• Karama Sahara – USA
• Kasarani Social Justice Center – Kenya
• Kax – South Africa
• KCJC – Kenya
• Keep Africa Beautiful Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone
• Kenya Youth Federation – Kenya
• Kenyan – Kenya
• Kgalalelo Education Foundation – South Africa
• Khamanu Royal Family – Nigeria
• KHORD Foundation – Uganda
• Kikandwa Environmental Association – Uganda
• Kim-Build Studios – Nigeria
• Kingdom of speakers – Gambia
• Kinyago – Kenya
• KMPDU – Kenya
• Know your rights Gambia – Gambia
• Knowledge in Books – Tanzania
• Kongamano La Mapinduzi – Kenya
• Kwankqubela – South Africa
• Lawyers for Human Rights South Africa – South Africa
• LCMF gauteng – South Africa
• LEGS-Africa – Senegal
• Liberation Movement Uganda – Uganda
• Liberty 4 aa – Uganda
• Lead Institute for Transformation (LIfT) – Madagascar
• Light Bearers Youth Initiative Trust – Zimbabwe
• Lubaga Social Justice Center (L.S.J.C) – Uganda
• LUCHA – Democratic Republic of Congo
• LWF Waking the Giant National Level Advocacy in Liberia – Liberia
• Magiri helping hearts foundation – Uganda
• Manica Youth Assembly Trust – Zimbabwe
• Maokeng Advice And Resource Centre – South Africa
• Margaret Akullo Elem – Uganda
• Masaka Social Justice Center and Kagugube Youth Development Initiative – Uganda
• MICAH – USA
• Micah Specialty Foods – USA
• MIKEDA Youth Empowerment Organization – Kenya
• Milestone Foundation – Zimbabwe
• Miwani Social Justice and Information Center – Kenya
• MMT – Kenya
• Moa – Tanzania
• Motherland youth foundation – Zambia
• Mouvement citoyen Filimbi – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Mouvement Citoyen LA RUE-RDC – Democratic Republic of Congo
• Movement for Youth Awareness – Sierra Leone
• Movement of the Truth – Nigeria
• Movimento Activista Moçambique – Mozambique
• MPGUN – South Sudan
• Mwamko
• Namayingo Forum for PLHIV Network – Uganda
• NAREC – Kenya
• National Human Rights Violations Investigations Commission – Nigeria
• National Youth Inclusive Initiative – Nigeria
• Network Movement for Youth and Children’s Welfare (NMYCW) – Sierra Leone
• New Generation Leaders – The Gambia
• NGO Light of life – Benin
• NHRD – Kenya
• NIDAWU – Namibia
• Nkanja Community Organization – Uganda
• None – South Africa
• Northnods Global Services – Nigeria
• Núcleo dos Activistas de Cabinda (NAC) – Angola
• Office of Janjanbureh NAM – The Gambia
• Ohanaezendigbo Youths – Nigeria
• Organization for justice peace and equity in Africa – Nigeria
• Palestine Solidarity Alliance – South Africa
• Pan-African Peacemakers Alliance (PAPA Africa) – South Sudan
• Pastoralists Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation Across Nations (PARAAN) – Kenya
• Pathways Zabalaza Institute – South Africa
• People United – Kenya
• People’s Health Movement Kenya – Kenya
• PHM South Africa – South Africa
• Piye – Sudan
• Policy Alert – Nigeria
• Population and Development Initiative – Tanzania
• Power of Youth Development (PYD) – Tanzania
• Powering Young Initiatives – Zambia
• Progressive Alliance of Mthwakazi Unions – Matabeleland
• Protection International Africa
• Quakers – South Africa
• Quest For Growth and Development Foundation – Nigeria
• Rarieda social justice Centre – Kenya
• Rays of Hope Initiative – Uganda
• Rccl – Tanzania
• Rebirth Of A Queen – Kenya
• Refugee social services – South Africa
• RejectFinanceBill2024 – Kenya
• Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
• ReSCOPE Net – Zambia
• Réseau Media et Droits de l’Homme (RMDH) – Mali
• Réseau National des Acteurs du Développement Durable (RENADE) – Guinea
• Rf technology – Sudan
• Rimi pharmacist Nigerian limited – Nigeria
• Rising Winners Youth Empowerment Initiative (RWYEI) – Kenya
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Film Festival Kenya (ROFFEKE) – Kenya
• Safe Home For Migrants Association (SaHMA) – The Gambia
• Salam Afrika – Nigeria
• SANGWE – Burundi
• Sarima Indigenous Peoples Land Forum (SIPLF) – Kenya
• Save 4 Development – Uganda
• SDGs Ambassador’s The Gambia – The Gambia
• SDIKenya – Kenya
• Sikika Africa Initiatives
• Sinak agro allied ventures – Nigeria
• Sistah Sistah foundation – Zambia
• Sisterhood Network – Congo
• Skills Centrum Rwenzori – Uganda
• SNWOT – Cameroon
• Socialist party – Zambia
• Society for economic welfare – Nigeria
• Solidarity 2020 and Beyond – US & International
• Solidarity Action Committee Collective – South Africa
• Solidarity Movement – Zambia
• Solidarity Uganda – Uganda
• Solo Sandeng Foundation – The Gambia
• South African Jews for a Free Palestine – South Africa
• Stand for your right – Ethiopia
• Sudan Of Future Youth and Student Organisation – Sudan
• Support Marginalized Community-Kenya – Kenya
• Sustainable Development Institute – Liberia
• Sustainable Development Institute / FOE Liberia – Liberia
• TAFA-MADAGASCAR – Madagascar
• Take It Back – Nigeria
• TakeItBack – Global
• Talent Initiative for Development (TIDE) – South Sudan
• Talent Tahuf Foundation – Ghana
• Tanariver Women Power
• Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum – Tanzania
• Tawonga Community Based Organization – Malawi
• Tchatokota – Angola
• TEABo Movement – East Africa
• Teachers For Mahama – Ghana
• Tekano – South Africa
• The Gaia foundation – United Kingdom & South Africa
• The Global Villages Network – Kenya
• The Needed Revolution in Africa – Nigeria
• The Pan African Dialogue Institute – Nigeria
• The Reformers of Africa – Nigeria
• The STEMinist Foundation Ghana – Ghana
• Their Voice Must Be Heard – The Gambia
• Timiza Dreams – Kenya
• Togolese Civil League – Togo
• Tunaweza Organization – Tanzania
• Twende Shuleni Initiative – Kenya
• UBUNTU – Angola
• UGanda Eyenkya Development Project Group – Uganda
• Unemployed – Uganda
• United African youths organization – Ethiopia
• United Domestic Workers Of South Africa (UDWOSA) – South Africa
• United Front for Youth Development – Cameroon
• UP (Unity-Peace) Life – Reconciliation Media – Cameroon
• Upenyu Creativity Consultants – Kenya
• Vijana – Uganda
• VINE YOUTH MINISTRIES UGANDA – East Africa
• Vision In Action Africa – Cameroon
• Voice Of Inspiring Inclusive Change Equitably – Ghana
• Voice of Voiceless Immigration Detainees Yorkshire (VVIDY) – Ivory Coast
• Volta Regional Youth Parliament – Ghana
• Waey organization – Sudan
• Wahenga Youth Group – Kenya
• Wasanii Sanaa – Kenya
• We talk -نتكلم – Sudan
• WeBuild – Cameroon
• Whisper To Humanity – Nigeria
• Wildebeest safaris – Kenya
• Womankind Worldwide – United Kingdom
• Women collective Uganda – Uganda
• Women In Need Organisation (WIN) – South Africa
• Women Solidarity Initiative Uganda – Uganda
• Women’s Forum for Human Rights and Democracy – Sierra Leone
• WoMin African Alliance – Africa
• World Friends for Africa Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso
• YADI Leaders Inc. – USA
• YARD-Liberia – Liberia
• Young Entrepreneurs Trust Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe
• Young Farmers Initiative – Nigeria
• Young Leaders Rethink Initiative – Kenya
• Youth 4 parliament Malawi movement – Malawi
• Youth Action for Transformation Network – Liberia
• Youth Ambassadors for Democracy – Nigeria
• Youth Dream Center Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone
• Youth for Africa – Kenya
• Youth for human rights international Freetown chapter – Sierra Leone
• Youth Movement for HIV/AIDS, TB, SRHR and Advocacy in Zambia – Zambia
• Youth Reformation and Awareness Centre & Women of Great Minds – Nigeria
• Youth4Change – Nigeria
• Youth4Parliament – Zambia
• Youths action Zambia – Zambia
• Zabalaza Pathways Institute – South Africa
• Zambia National Men’s Network for Gender and Development – Zambia
• Zambia National Students Union – Zambia
• Zenith Seed Films – South Africa
• Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights – Zimbabwe
• جميعية دومتني – Chad