Kenya’s Ruto proposes spending cuts after nationwide protests

Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday proposed spending cuts and additional borrowing in roughly equal measure to fill a nearly $2.7 billion budget hole caused by his withdrawal of planned tax hikes in the face of nationwide protests.

Ruto scrapped the finance bill containing the tax increases in response to mass, youth-led demonstrations that have created the biggest crisis of his two-year-old presidency.

At least 39 people were killed in clashes with the police and some demonstrators briefly stormed parliament last week.

Ruto said in a…