Kenyan police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters in the capital, Nairobi, amid ongoing anti-tax demonstrations across the country.
Businesses have shut down, and transport has been paralyzed in the city, with police engaging in running battles with demonstrators. The youth-led protests are urging MPs to reject proposed tax increases.
The government, which has rowed back on some of the most controversial measures, says new taxes are needed to fund spending programs and reduce the debt burden.
An AFP journalist reported hearing a police officer instruct his colleagues to “get the rubber bullets from the box.” Subsequently, the police began firing in the air and at the protesters. Officers have been deployed to protect various key government installations, including parliament.
From the morning, anti-riot police have been using tear gas to disperse the protesters amid clashes with security officers. There have also been large crowds in many other parts of the country, with the local newspaper Daily Nation reporting protests in about 30 of the country’s 47 counties.
Ahead of the demonstrations, lawyers and human rights groups expressed concern about arbitrary arrests and the intimidation of activists during earlier protests. Reports indicate that at least five prominent social media users were abducted at dawn, hours before the demonstrations.
The government has defended the taxes as necessary for raising additional revenue to reduce Kenya’s significant debt, but last week conceded to some demands. It scrapped some contentious taxes, including proposed taxes on bread, cooking oil, and motor vehicle ownership, in response to public outcry. However, protesters argue that this is not enough and are demanding the complete withdrawal of the bill.
Despite the protests, a majority of MPs passed the controversial bill during its second reading and were on Tuesday debating various amendments to remove some of the clauses that the government has deemed contentious.
At least two people died, and hundreds were injured in last week’s demonstrations, which were largely peaceful. President William Ruto acknowledged the protests and promised to hold talks to address the concerns of the youth who are at the forefront of the protests.
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