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For the past few weeks, Kenya's Gen Z youth have been taking to the streets biweekly to demonstrate against the government.
With a basketful of demands, Gen Z have been agitating for change in a political and economic climate they say has been unfavourable. Their complaints range from high taxation, over-representation in the Bicameral Parliament, unemployment, inflation, injustice and extra judicial killings.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, across the country, Gen Z have influenced change in counties as millennials and older generations also join them in agitating for change.
These demos have seen the President move to assuage the anger by dissolving his cabinet, dropping the contentious Finance Bill 2024, cut hundreds of millions used to fund a number of offices deemed unnecessary including the offices of the First Lady, Spouse of the Deputy President and Spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and banned government activities that gobble up taxpayers' monies in unnecessary travel and purchases.
Despite these measures, Gen Z are not content. They now want Parliament dissolved and President Ruto to resign. The protests continue. And they have been met on the streets by a contingent of law enforcement drawn from various cadres including the anti-riot police. Armed with batons, tear gas, water canons and rifles, law enforcement have been engaging in cat and mouse games with protestors across the country, and this has unfortunately seen 50 lives lost since the antigovernment protests began.
Beyond the live bullets being fired, many demonstrators remain unaware of the dangers of the water splashed at them from water cannons to disperse them during protests. Nairobi News now takes a look at the dangers that surround the liquid shot from the water cannons and why demonstrators should be wary of being drenched in it.
According to Physicians for Human Rights, water cannons can cause hypothermia and frostbite; and direct trauma from the pressurized water causing internal injuries, secondary injuries such as rib fractures, brain injuries and musculoskeletal injuries from being knocked down or colliding with objects.
- Demonstrators are at risk of skin bruising and abrasions, chemical burns and severe irritation and infections if the water comes in contact with any open wounds obtained during the demos.
- The American Civil Liberties Union reported that different agents are mixed into water cannons such as coloured dyes to mark demonstrators, malodorous chemicals (chemicals with strong offensive smells) and invisible UV markers for later identification and arresting of protestors. The chemicals have been reported to cause prolonged nausea and laboured breathing.
- Other than the danger posed to humans, the chemicals shot by water cannons contaminate the soil and water, posing long-term environmental hazards. The high pressure can also damage plants and vegetation in an area as well as disrupt any local domesticated or wildlife.
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