Lupita Nyong’o joins fight Against the Finance Bill. News. Lupita Nyong’o’s reaction comes hours after a chaotic day in Nairobi, where protesters stormed Parliament and caused a lot of damage.
As protests against the Finance Bill 2024 continue, famous actress Lupita Nyong’o has shown her support for the young people of Kenya. Her message comes just hours after a chaotic day in Nairobi, where protesters stormed Parliament and caused a lot of damage. President William Ruto’s response to the events has made people even angrier.
Lupita’s message to Kenyan youth
Lupita Nyong’o expressed her admiration for the unity and determination of Kenyan youth in opposing the Finance Bill 2024.
In her statement, she said, “I salute the Kenyan youth and I am grateful to them for coming together in an extraordinary way to stand up against the problematic Finance Bill 2024 and to defend and promote the democratic rights of the Kenyan people.”
She also acknowledged the tragic loss of lives during the protests and extended her condolences to the victims’ families. Her message also called for the Kenyan government to address the concerns raised by the protesters..
“May the government of Kenya aim to peacefully unify the nation by hearing and addressing the concerns about bad governance that are rightfully being raised,” she concluded, using the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 to emphasize her stance.
President Ruto’s response
In response to the day’s events, President William Ruto addressed the nation on Tuesday night. His brief speech included a stern warning to those he claimed were responsible for the chaos. “Today’s events mark a critical point in how we respond to threats to our peace,” Ruto stated.
He emphasized his duty to protect Kenya’s constitutional order, promising that such a situation would not happen again. “We will ensure that a situation of this nature does not recur,” he added.
Ruto also pledged to pursue those he alleged had orchestrated the violence, suggesting that criminals had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful protests. However, his remarks did little to calm the public.
Many Kenyans felt that Ruto failed to address the core issues and did not offer condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the protests.
Public outrage sparks calls for action
The President’s speech has only intensified public anger. Many Kenyans, especially those directly affected by the violence, expressed their frustration on social media. They criticized Ruto for not showing empathy towards the victims’ families and for focusing instead on labelling the events as treasonous.
Recently, Kenyans have criticized the draft legislation online and organized nationwide protests with trending hashtags like #RejectFinanceBill2024, #OccupyParliament, and #TotalShutdownKenya on social media platforms such as TikTok and X. An online petition on Change.org has gathered over 111,000 signatures since its launch on June 15.