Ruto softens stance after violent protests

Kenyan President William Ruto said he was ready for ‘a conversation’ with thousands of ‘peaceful’ young protesters who held nationwide demonstrations last week to oppose proposed tax increases. Organised on social media and led largely by youths who have live-streamed the demonstrations, the protests have caught Ruto's Government off-guard, as discontent mounts over his economic policies. ‘I am very proud of our young people... they have stepped forward peaceful and I want to tell them we are going to engage them,’ Ruto said in his first public comments on the protests. ‘We are going to have a conversation so that together we can build a greater nation,’ Ruto said in the Rift Valley town of Nyahururu. News24 reports that his characterisation of the protests as ‘peaceful’ came after rights campaigners reported two deaths following Thursday's demonstrations in Nairobi. Several organisations, including Amnesty International Kenya, said that at least 200 people were injured in the protests in Nairobi, as thousands of people took to the streets across the country. There was no immediate response to his remarks from the protesters, who have called for a national strike today. CapitalFM notes that despite the widespread protests, 204 MPs voted in favour of the Bill, while 105 voted against it. It will now proceed to the Committee of the Whole House for further amendments starting next Tuesday.