Kenya's lawmakers approve a contested financial package two years after Gen Z protests

Kenya’s parliament has approved another contested package of financial measures, which President William Ruto’s government says is needed to raise about $770 million ahead of the 2027 elections.

The vote is politically sensitive because of what happened the last time the government tried to raise revenue this way. In 2024, a finance bill packed with new taxes triggered deadly nationwide protests led largely by young Kenyans, forcing Ruto to withdraw it. Police in Nairobi have again sealed off key roads as the country braces for renewed demonstrations, suggesting the government anticipates a similar backlash even as it pushes the measures through.

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