- Anti-finance bill protests in Kenya gained global attention
- Protests led to President William Ruto declining to assent to the bill
- Significant moments included the invasion of parliament and highly organised demonstrations
The anti-finance bill protests in Kenya captured worldwide attention, with the organisation, order, and events impressing many across the globe.
The protests were marked by significant moments, including the historic invasion of parliament and the highly organised manner of the demonstrations.
Despite the unfortunate loss of lives, the protests were successful, prompting President William Ruto to concede and decline to assent to the bill.
Netizens from various African nations shared their opinions and admiration for the Kenyan people in the aftermath of the protests.
Here is an observation from the online reactions across different countries:
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Ugandan reactions to the protests
One of the most notable reactions came from Uganda, a country with a history of unsuccessful protests from the days of opposition leader Kizza Besigye to the recent movements led by Bobi Wine.
Content creator and comedian Moses Jr Kiboneka, popularly known as Uncle Mo, shared a widely viewed and humorous video.
In it, he compared the scenarios seen in Kenya’s protests to what would have happened in Uganda, vividly painting a picture of the challenges faced by Ugandan protesters with a mix of English and Buganda.
Watch the full video below:
Here is another reaction from a Uganda online:
Reactions from Tanzania
In Tanzania, the Swahili-speaking nation was highly impressed by the protests in Kenya. The enthusiasm was so high that Tanzanians held a space on X (formerly Twitter), inviting Kenyans to advise them on organising similar demonstrations.
Tanzanian radio stations and newspapers shared reactions and expressed admiration for the Kenyan protests.
Under the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Tanzania has experienced political oppression, making the active participation of Kenyan artists and social media personalities even more noteworthy.
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Here are some reactions from Tanzanians online:
Nigerians online react
In West Africa, Nigerian netizens echoed the sentiments of Tanzanians, urging Nigerians to learn from Kenyans. Both nations face similar socio-economic challenges, and the Nigerians were keen to draw lessons from the Kenyan protests.
Using a blend of West African accents and Pidgin, Nigerians expressed their amazement at how Kenyan youth conducted their protests.
Here are some of the reactions:
Reactions from Ghana
Ghanaians, experiencing worse economic challenges than Kenyans, also called for their country to learn from Kenya.
Besides online videos, Ghanaians wrote articles on what lessons they could adopt from Kenya to improve their situation.
South African reactions
South Africa, fresh from elections and grappling with economic challenges such as unemployment, was similarly impressed. Online reactions from South Africans reflected a newfound respect for Kenyan activism, with some expressing surprise at Kenya's robust civil action.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema praised Kenyan youths for making Africa proud.
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Here are some reactions:
South Sudanese online react
South Sudan, a country plagued by political unrest, saw less political activity. Many citizens have migrated to neighbouring countries due to instability.
A South Sudanese content creator shared that the protests in Kenya would have faced brutal suppression under South Sudan’s military rule.
Beyond Africa: Reactions from America and Europe
The protests also garnered reactions from content creators in America and Europe, reflecting global interest and admiration for the Kenyan protests.