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'We are slaves to Western imperialists!' – Kenyans blast IMF, World Bank, govt over spiralling national debt, unemployment

'We are slaves to Western imperialists!' – Kenyans blast IMF, World Bank, govt over spiralling national debt, unemployment

"Locals in Kenyan capital city Nairobi have hit out at the government and international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank over the worsening economic conditions in a country once revered as the 'Pride of Africa'. Speakers interviewed at a grassroots forum on Friday blamed the country's spiraling national debt as well as poor local governance and rampant corruption as being the leading causes of rising youth unemployment and economic austerity. Footage shows activists gathering to discuss the issues, while the video also captures the stark contrast between rich and poor in the country's vibrant capital. “We are slaves to Western imperialists because of these loans from international monetary institutions,” declared activist Fadhili Owino. “IMF & World Bank don’t understand the reality of the situation in Kenya, or even anywhere in Africa. World Bank and IMF are only business oriented. They do not mind whether the loans they give out do make an impact on the lives of the people," he continued. "They do not care about poor Africans who are wallowing in poverty while the ruling elites are stashing money in offshore accounts.” Speakers at the forum said economic blueprints often arrive from abroad without local consultation. “The reason why IMF and World bank don’t understand our concerns is they cannot relate. You cannot relate a person whose culture is of abundance to that of a person of a culture of struggling," said activist Bonny Seme, stating that locals can help devise solutions to the problems. "They think that by giving us their blueprints we are going to implement them. Whatever is implementable in Britain, it cannot be automatically implementable here,” he noted. Activists also blamed the Kenyan government and authorities for engaging with international lending institutions, adding that corruption further impacts the use of borrowed funds. . “They borrow money from these institutions then they steal it take back to London and Switzerland leaving the people wallowing in poverty,” claimed Salim Mghanga. “We are not ready as a population to support another regime that will go back, banking on hopes of being given money by the IMF under unclear conditions, that we don’t understand, the people. We are not with you, protests will always be here," Bonny Seme explained, stressing the need for transparency from the government and noting that Kenyans would be willing to 'tighten their belts' if they have faith in the source of financing and the way the money is spent. "We don't want IMF, we don't want World Bank, we borrow from internally. The moment we get such a regime, I can tell you these people are ready to suffer," he explained, also calling for corruption to be weeded out and perpetrators prosecuted. Meanwhile, Fadhili Owino pointed to Burkina Faso as an example of an African country that has disassociated itself from international lenders. "Burkina Faso has completely cut itself away from the Western imperialists. And Ibrahim Toure is determined to make Burkina Faso very free from international monetary lending institutions," he explained. "We have all the minerals in the world in Africa. Africa can be self-reliant. We have our mineral resources. We should we should exploit our mineral resources for the benefit of our people," he concluded. According to the Central Bank of Kenya, the nation’s total public debt stood at roughly $50 billion as of May 2025, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 67.4%. Nearly two-thirds of Kenya’s revenue now goes toward servicing its debt — leaving limited funds for investment in infrastructure, public services, social programmes and long-term investment in sustainable economic development and job creation. Kenya is also suffering from high unemployment, estimated in the high single-digits. However, unemployment among Kenyan youth is reportedly disproportionately high, giving rise to the violent wave of Gen Z protests against a Finance Bill in 2024 which left dozens dead. In 2024, poverty rates an reached alarmingly high level in Kenya, with over 25 million people, constituting about 49.8 percent of the population, living below the poverty line."

Jeri's first act - Peru launches massive prison operation to dismantle gangs amid 'war on crime'

Jeri's first act - Peru launches massive prison operation to dismantle gangs amid 'war on crime'

"Peru’s newly sworn-in president, Jose Jeri, began his tenure with a show of force on Saturday, visiting Ancon I prison north of Lima to oversee a nationwide anti-crime operation aimed at dismantling organised criminal networks operating from inside the country’s jails. The initiative, Jeri’s first official act outside the Government Palace, targeted four prisons simultaneously: Ancon I, Lurigancho, Trujillo, and Challapalca. The operations sought to curb extortion rackets, contract killings, and other criminal activities allegedly coordinated by inmates. Footage released by authorities shows President Jeri touring the cell blocks of Ancon I alongside Ivan Paredes Yataco, president of the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE). Officials displayed seized contraband, including mobile phones, SIM cards, improvised weapons, drugs, and electronic devices used to extort citizens outside the prison walls. “By order of the President of the Republic, an extraordinary search was carried out in four prisons nationwide, an extraordinary raid to combat crime, especially organised contract killings, because we know that criminal activity flows from inside the prison to the outside,” said Paredes Yataco. More than 200 agents from INPE’s Special Operations Group, supported by canine units, conducted the extensive searches through cells, corridors, bathrooms, and hidden compartments. “We must show citizens that they can feel confident and safe that we, the INPE, and above all, by order of the President of the Republic, are going to combat crime with firmness and severity,” he said, adding that the new government intends “to combat crime with firmness and, above all, with severity,” Paredes added. Jeri, who declared a 'war on crime' shortly after being sworn in, has made tackling criminality his top priority, ranking it above corruption, according to recent national surveys. The new head of state assumed interim leadership in the early hours of October 10, following the removal of President Dina Boluarte by Congress. Under the Peruvian Constitution, in the absence of a vice-president, the President of Congress automatically assumes the presidency. Jeri will lead the country until the new elections scheduled for April 2026."