Chaos have erupted in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) ahead of CS Mbadi’s budget tabling in the National Assembly as hundreds of protesters demand justice for Albert Ojwang who died in police custody at Central Police Station in Nairobi.
This come come just moments before the official tabling Ksh 4.2 trillion national budget in the National Assembly by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.
The demonstrators who lit several bonfires were heard chanting anti-government slogans like “no justice,no budget.” This particular slogan was to remind the government that the youth were still pushing for police accountability in relation to custodial death of blogger Albert Ojwang’
These events prompted quick deployment of security officers to contain the situation who responded by lobbing teargas canisters to disperse the growing crowds in an attempt to disperse the increasingly agitated crowd.
The thick plumes of teargas engulfed several parts of the CBD, temporarily paralyzing transport and business activities along major roads including Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue, and Haile Selassie Avenue.
Despite the government insisting the budget aims to cut wastage and maximize on development, critics argue that the Ksh 4.2 trillion budget will deepen the cost-of-living crisis facing millions of Kenyans.
This year’s budget is concentrated into three major sectors; KSh1.79 trillion for recurrent expenditure, KSh1.337 trillion for Consolidated Fund Services (CFS), and KSh707.8 billion for development expenditure.
As the country awaits deliberations in Parliament, the growing tension on the streets underscores the widening disconnect between the government’s fiscal policies and the economic realities of ordinary Kenyans.
