[HOME ] [ABOUT] [PHOTOS] [VIDEO] [BLOG] [HOUSTON] [TEXAS] [U.S. NEWS] [WORLD NEWS] [SPORTS] [POP CULTURE] [CONTACT]
People power sweeps Kenya as they protest high cost of living
Kenyans taking to the street, despite the government promising to lower prices
by Joseph Ernest April 21, 2011
Newscast Media NAIROBI, Kenya -- Encouraged by their cousins in Uganda who are conducting peaceful walks to work in protest of the unjustifiably high food and fuel prices, Kenyans took to the streets because they too are discontent with the ever-increasing cost of living. Since the post-election violence of early 2008, the people have endured the bickering of a bloated, corruption-tainted coalition government.
Unlike Ugandans, Kenyans tend to be more docile, and the demonstrations are for now too small to be a threat. One reason is in Kenya there is no political opposition. Apart from poor publicity, another reason the protests aren't gaining much traction could be the population has been cowed. For years during Daniel Arap Moi's presidency, people risked a walloping at the hands of the feared police if they dared protest.
About 100 people blocked and disrupted traffic near Kenyan Parliament as the protesters found the other day's cut in taxes of kerosene and diesel too small. Corruption is also an issue which is the hallmark of the Great Lakes countries in East Africa, with the exception of Rwanda which is practically corrupt-free and enjoys a 99 percent confidence rate from its citizens.
Right now in Kenya, the politicians are the pied pipers who call the shots, while the people who voted them into office are viewed by the same politicians as their pawns. Add Comments>>
|
|
Join the Newscast Media social networks
for current events and multimedia content.
Copyright© Newscast Media. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Privacy Policy