South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party led by Julius Malema has strongly condemned President William Ruto for the killings and injuries reported during the anti-finance bill protests in Kenyan on Tuesday, June 25.
In a statement, EFF slammed the brutal actions of the Kenyan police which it claims were under the orders of President William Ruto.
EFF said the use of live ammunition on unarmed citizens is utterly unacceptable and a blatant violation of human rights.
“On Tuesday afternoon, protestors marched on Kenya’s parliament and police officers escalated tensions by firing live rounds into crowds, leading to the deaths of five people and injuring more than 30 others.
“Instead of de-escalating the conflict, the Kenyan government chose to exacerbate it by deploying police and have also chosen to deploy the army under the guise of addressing a ‘security emergency,” the statement read.
Malema’s party criticized President Ruto’s subsequent statements, labelling some protesters as criminals and threatening to counter the violence and anarchy.
EFF said Ruto’s words demonstrate a profound disregard for the legitimate grievances of the Kenyan people.
“This oppressive response highlights the President’s willingness to resort to deadly force to push through his Finance Bill, which clearly serves the interests of Western powers at the expense of his own citizens,” the party said.
EFF opposed the use of live bullets on protesters and deployment of the Kenye Defence Forces (KDF) to help the police.
The party accused the Kenya police of fueling the unrests instead of working to restore peace and order.
“The EFF reiterates that the use of live rounds is unacceptable, and it is well known that police have never been able to deescalate anything. If anything, their presence always escalates things, and clearly, President Ruto is willing to kill just to put his bill through,” read another part of the statement.
“Additionally, deploying the military against your own people is simply unethical. The role of the military is to protect the nation, not to confront unarmed protesters with legitimate grievances.”
The EFF called upon President Ruto to immediately cease the violent suppression of protesters, withdraw the military and police from the streets, and engage in meaningful dialogue with the citizens of Kenya.
The part assured solidarity with the people of Kenya in their struggle against oppressive governance and economic exploitation.
It maintained that it would continue to advocate for justice, peace, and the fundamental rights of all African people.
“The voices of the people must be heard and respected, not silenced through bloodshed and intimidation,” EFF said.
“It is imperative that those responsible for these heinous acts are held accountable and that all detained protesters are released without delay.”
