Climate Action Network solidarity statement on current Kenya situation
9 July 2024
Climate Action Network International stands in solidarity with the citizens of Kenya as they make their demands to their government, as projected by the nationwide GENZ-led protests that started on June 18th. CAN extends its deepest condolences to the families and communities who have suffered the loss of their loved ones.
CAN expresses deep concern about violations to human rights during anti-government demonstrations. It is unfortunate that the Kenyan government has responded to the protests with an excessive use of force including the firing of live bullets directly at the protesters, leading to the loss of the lives of at least 39 people during the protest. It is also regrettable that in parallel, dozens of youthl digital influencers, student leaders and activists have also been abducted by State agents and detained irregularly. In addition, several journalists have been harassed and intimidated while at the same time, several media outlets have reportedly been threatened with a shut down. The protection of human rights, the rights to hold a peaceful protest and access to information, are enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution and are fundamental tenets of good governance. There can be no climate justice without human rights.
The massive public mobilization and the consequent public action are justifiable and respond to an unacceptable and very exploitative tax regime spearheaded by the Kenyan government on its own people through the Finance Bill of 2024, which proposes regressive tax increases on basic necessities, like bread, fuel and sanitary products, making them unaffordable for the country’s poorest people. These infamous tax hikes come on top of heavy rains and floods that hit the country in the first half of the year. In addition to the hundreds of lives that were lost and hundreds of thousands who have been displaced, the floods have also had a devastating impact on the national economy and financial security of households.
The proposed regressive and punitive taxes are primarily geared towards debt servicing and the repayment of foreign creditors and financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These taxes are insensitive to the current economic – and climatic – hardship faced currently by the people of Kenya. The protests therefore highlight the heavy debt burden situation in Kenya and how it is significantly affecting them. The vast majority of revenues raised in taxes go to servicing debt, leaving only limited resources for critical public services and for other country development priorities – including the fight against climate change impacts and securing access to renewable energy for all. This also sheds light on the IMF’s constant pressure on countries to implement austerity measures, pushing for reductions in welfare budgets and making the poorest people pay for countries’ debt through unfair tax increases.
CAN supports the demands coming from protesting Kenyan youth. We support their ask for a substantive increase of funding for critical public services including health, education and social welfare. There is an urgent need to reclaim Kenya’s fiscal sovereignty to ensure public accountability and a people-centric budgetary process that protects against regressive and unjustifiable tax measures, which unfairly burden the country’s impoverished taxpayers and working class. The condemnable interference of the World Bank and the IMF in the economic affairs of the country must be denounced.
Recent events in Kenya illustrate the extent to which unjust public debt in an unfair global financial and trade system can damage a country. Kenya is not an isolated case – this is the situation for many indebted Global South countries. Debt obligations can no longer matter more than citizens’ basic needs and rights. Kenya, and many other countries of the Global South, must be free of the imposed cycles of illegitimate debt and coercive austerity. We call for debt justice, including an urgent cancellation of debts (without economic conditionalities or negative adjustments in other forms of international financial support) by external creditors for all countries that need it, so that countries have the fiscal space to invest in protecting people and the planet.
ENDS
Contact:
media@climatenetwork.org