Malema's EFF party slams Kenyan Government over 'brutal repression' of peaceful protests
The EFF expressed "full solidarity with the youth of Kenya," who returned to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the deadly June 25, 2024 protests that erupted in response to the controversial Finance Bill.
South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has issued a scathing condemnation of the Kenyan Government following what it described as "brutal repression of peaceful protesters," media censorship, and escalating authoritarianism under President William Ruto.
In a strongly worded statement released Thursday, the EFF expressed "full solidarity with the youth of Kenya," who returned to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the deadly June 25, 2024 protests that erupted in response to the controversial Finance Bill.
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"What began as a rejection of economic injustice has now grown into a widespread demand for an end to state corruption, police brutality, and impunity at the highest levels of government," the EFF said.
"It is a movement led by the youth, and in response, President Ruto has unleashed state-sponsored violence and censorship."
The party cited figures from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), stating that "at least eight people have been killed in today's protests alone," with over 400 others injured, including journalists and police officers.
"Many were hit by live bullets, rubber bullets, or savagely beaten—mainly in Nairobi," the statement added.
The firebrand South African party, led by Julius Malema, accused the Ruto administration of using the Communications Authority of Kenya to ban live coverage of the protests, calling it a "deliberate misreading of the Constitution" and an attempt to "control the narrative, hide its crimes, and rule by fear."
"President Ruto has shown that he is unwilling to lead with dignity," the EFF declared. "This is a generation that refuses to bow, refuses to be silenced, and refuses to accept a future stolen by corrupt elites."
Calling for an immediate end to state violence, the party demanded accountability for the killings and injuries, restoration of media freedom, and urgent reforms.
"The world is watching, and Africa is watching," it concluded.
This is not the first time Julius Malema and his party have taken aim at Kenya's leadership. Over the past year, the EFF has consistently criticized what it calls Ruto's "neoliberal subservience to Western institutions" and his handling of domestic dissent.
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