Five Dead and Parliament Ablaze Amid Kenya Tax Protests
At least five protesters were fatally shot by police, and part of the Kenyan parliament was set on fire as demonstrations against new tax proposals reached a boiling point. The unrest, which has gripped the nation for days, intensified when angry crowds breached police barricades and stormed the parliamentary building in Nairobi, setting parts of it aflame.
In a national address on Tuesday evening, President William Ruto vowed to use all available resources to “thwart any attempts by dangerous criminals to undermine the security and stability of our country.” He has since deployed the military to help control the situation.
The protests, fueled by a deeply unpopular finance bill that proposes several tax increases, escalated sharply after parliament passed an amended version of the bill on Tuesday. Demonstrators vandalized the parliament’s interior and stole the ceremonial mace, a symbol of legislative authority, before setting parts of the complex on fire.
According to the Kenya Medical Association, police responded with live ammunition, resulting in at least five deaths. A BBC reporter on the scene witnessed bodies lying in the streets in pools of blood.
“There are some things that are hard to understand, like how can you impose 16% tax on bread? How can you tax sanitary pads?” 24-year-old Derrick Mwathu told the BBC, highlighting some of the most contentious proposals in the original bill.
Controversial Tax Proposals Ignite Unrest
The finance bill has faced significant opposition, with critics arguing that the proposed tax hikes on essential goods are unfair and burdensome. Despite the government’s partial rollback on some of the proposals, the protests show no signs of abating.
President Ruto condemned the violence, stating, “It is not in order or even conceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives, and the institutions established under our constitution and expect to go scot-free.”
Nairobi in Chaos
On Tuesday, both the city hall and the parliament building were set on fire. Hundreds of people were reportedly injured, some by rubber bullets and tear gas. At a medical camp set up in a Nairobi cathedral to treat injured protesters, a BBC reporter saw doctors being forced out by soldiers. Another temporary medical unit was established outside the emergency unit at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Calls for Dialogue and International Concern
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for dialogue, emphasizing that “power and authority is donated to them by the people.” Despite the government’s concessions on some tax proposals, demonstrators continue to demand the bill’s complete withdrawal. “Our voice must be heard… We are the generation that is coming up, so they need to hear us,” said 23-year-old Maureen Awuor.
The violent protests have drawn international attention, with African leaders like Ugandan opposition figure Bobi Wine and South African politician Julius Malema expressing support for the demonstrators. Western nations have also voiced concern over the violence and called for calm.
