What do the IMF and foreign debt have to do with Kenya’s current crisis?
Al Jazeera
Critics say IMF provides loans to desperate African countries on stringent terms, disproportionately affecting the poor.
Weeks since protests began, determined Kenyans continue going out to voice their frustrations with the government.
But when demonstrators first took to the streets in June to rally against proposed tax hikes, it was not only President William Ruto and members of parliament who came under fire.
In the protests that later turned deadly, placards were raised denouncing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which were accused of causing the crisis. “IMF, World Bank, Stop the Modern Day Slavery,” one placard read.
Across the capital, Nairobi, graffiti denouncing the organisations is visible even as protesters continue to demand Ruto resign.
So what is the IMF’s role in the current crisis, and what are Kenyans now demanding from the organisation?