Abuja Left Groups Declare Solidarity with Kenyan Anti-Tax Protesters, Want IMF Out of Africa
…..Urge Unite Against Austerity
The network of Abuja Left Groups, have declared their stand in solidarity with the “brave protesters in Kenya who are resisting the oppressive tax policies imposed by their government”, insisting that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must leave Africa alone.
Their position was made known in a joint statement signed by Omole Ibukun, for the Creative Change Centre (C4); Adaramoye Michael Lenin, the Coordinator, Democratic Socialist Movement, Abuja; Salako Kayode, for the Revolutionary Socialist Movement; Akande Daniel, for the Movement for a Socialist Alternative; Blessing Yusuf, for FIWON; Comrade Larry, for TIB, UNIABUJA; Idris Yaya, for Activista, Abuja; and Comrade Gerald, for the Committee for Defense of Human Rights, Abuja.
They said, “We recognize the same struggles in our own country, Nigeria, where the Tinubu regime has implemented similar austerity measures to perpetuate a cycle of poverty and inequality.
“Policies like increase in VAT, hike in fuel prices, currency devaluation, tax reforms, interest rate hike and electricity tariff, privatization of essential public sector services leading to loss of jobs, poor minimum wage and reduction in purchasing power the Nigerian people, reduction in the education and healthcare funding by the Tinubu government are very similar to the moves that culminated in the Finance Bill by the government of Kenya led by President Ruto.
“The number of protesters killed since the resistance to that policy and the system that made it possible to propose such an inhumane bill started has climbed to over 30 as at two days ago”, the groups said.
According to them, “This is very similar to the massacre that followed the #EndSARS protests of 2020 in Nigeria and the mindless killing of protesters in which Tinubu who was yet to be president then, but was the National Leader of APC and was blameworthy.
“Now that the Kenyan government has withdrawn the bill, the demand is to kick out IMF and their representatives from Africa, including a refusal to pay all the debt chains that has been used to trap African countries by the World Bank, because of the policies they recommend on the basis of the neoliberal trap they laid for our countries.
“These austerity policies, recommended by the IMF, only serve to further exploit and oppress the African people. We reject the notion that austerity is necessary for economic growth.
“Instead, we demand a radical transformation of our economic systems that prioritizes the needs of the people over profit and imperialist interests.
“The austerity policies and programs imposed by the IMF on our countries are based on flawed assumptions and flawed models that perpetuate a logic of domination and exploitation.
“We must reject this logic and build a new indigenous economic system that prioritizes African lives and welfare.
“We recognize the psychological toll of austerity policies on individuals and communities, including the stress, anxiety, depression and trauma they create for our people.
“We therefore demand a world where African people can thrive as equal partners, not just to survive.
“We call on all left groups, social movements, and progressive forces across Africa to join us in solidarity protests at Kenyan embassies in all capital cities of Africa, starting from Abuja tomorrow, and continuing in the days after.
“Our demand is that the IMF and other imperialist forces leave Africa alone and allow us to determine our own economic and political futures and for austerity policies like fuel hike, electricity tariff hike, etc prescribed by the IMF to be reversed in our country, Nigeria.
“We will not be silenced, we will not be oppressed. We will rise, we will resist, and we will build a better Africa!”, they Left groups said.
