Five Killed During Kenya Anti-Tax Protests, NGOs Report.
Nairobi, Kenya – Five people were killed and dozens injured on Tuesday as Kenya anti-tax hike protests escalated into violence, according to reports from non-governmental organizations. The demonstrations, which saw police clash with protesters who stormed the parliament compound in Nairobi, have caught the government by surprise.
The military has been deployed to support police forces, who earlier used tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and reportedly live ammunition against demonstrators. The situation rapidly deteriorated despite government assurances that the right to peaceful assembly would be respected.
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“Despite the assurance by the government that the right to assembly would be protected and facilitated, today’s protests have spiraled into violence,” said a joint statement from several NGOs, including Amnesty International Kenya, which reported the fatalities and injuries.
The White House has called for calm, and more than ten Western nations, including Canada, Germany, and Britain, expressed their shock over the violent scenes at the Kenyan Parliament.
The protests, primarily led by young people, have been fueled by proposed tax hikes and ongoing frustrations over the cost-of-living crisis. “This is the voice of the young people of Kenya,” said Elizabeth Nyaberi, a 26-year-old lawyer participating in the protests. “They are tear gassing us, but we don’t care. We are here to speak for our generations and the generations to come.”
While the protests started peacefully, chaos erupted in Nairobi on Tuesday. Protesters threw stones at police, broke through barricades, and entered the grounds of Kenya’s parliament. During the clashes, internet service across the country experienced a major disruption, reported by global web monitor NetBlocks.
Local television footage showed ransacked rooms with smashed windows inside the parliament compound, vandalized cars, and destroyed flags. The governor’s office in Nairobi City Hall, located near parliament, was also set on fire, with water cannons used to douse the flames.
Following reports of live ammunition being fired at protesters, Kenya’s main opposition coalition, Azimio, accused the government of using excessive force. “Kenya cannot afford to kill its children just because the children are asking for food, jobs, and a listening ear,” the coalition said in a statement.
Defence Minister Aden Bare Duale stated that the military’s deployment was in response to a security emergency across Kenya.
Earlier, thousands of protesters had marched peacefully through Nairobi’s business district towards parliament, livestreaming their progress as they sang and beat drums. Similar marches occurred in Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret, as shown on Kenyan TV channels.
Rights groups and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority reported that two people died in last week’s protests in Nairobi, with at least 200 injured. Amnesty International Kenya warned that the policing of protests was rapidly deteriorating and urged the government to respect the right to assembly.
Additionally, rights organizations have accused authorities of abducting protesters. The Kenya Human Rights Commission claimed these abductions were conducted at night by police officers in civilian clothes and unmarked cars, calling for the unconditional release of all detainees.
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Police have not responded to AFP requests for comment on these allegations.
Fuel Price Hikes and Economic Strain
The protests come as Kenya’s cash-strapped government announced plans to roll back several tax increases while still intending to raise other taxes to fill state coffers and reduce reliance on external borrowing. Kenya’s significant debt burden has been exacerbated by the declining value of its currency, increasing the cost of servicing foreign loans.
Although the government agreed to scrap levies on bread purchases, car ownership, and financial and mobile services, the treasury warned of a budget shortfall of 200 billion shillings ($1.56 billion). To cover this gap, the government plans to increase fuel prices and export taxes, a move critics argue will further burden Kenyans already struggling with high inflation.
Kenya, despite being one of East Africa’s most dynamic economies, sees a third of its 52 million people living in poverty. The proposed tax hikes are expected to exacerbate the financial strain on many Kenyans, especially the youth, for whom well-paid jobs remain scarce.
AFP
