NAIROBI, Kenya, June 25 – At least four protesters were shot dead Tuesday as police struggled to disperse rioters who stormed Parliament after the passage of a controversial Finance Bill that seeks to raise taxes.
The chaotic scenes were marked by live bullets and tear gas moments after Members of Parliament approved the bill. Several protesters sustained serious bullet wounds during the violent confrontations.
“I have seen four bodies of the protesters who were shot dead,” reported a witness. “They are lying in a pool of blood outside Parliament.”
Our crew covering the youth-led protests counted more than 10 people being rushed to hospitals by ambulances, while others remained on the ground, writhing in pain. “People have been shot, it is very bad,” one protester yelled while fleeing from a thick cloud of tear gas.
In the chaos, a section of Parliament and a truck parked outside the fence were set ablaze. “We have never seen this before, God save Kenya,” an elderly man screamed while running.
Thousands of protesters have been engaged in running battles with the police since morning, with security officers firing rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds. The protests were not limited to Nairobi; they were reported in about 30 of the country’s 47 counties.
Businesses were shut, and transport was paralyzed in the city as police clashed with demonstrators. The youth-led protests have been calling on MPs to reject the proposed tax increases. The government, which has backtracked on some of the most controversial measures, insists that new taxes are needed to fund spending programs and reduce the debt burden.
Similar chaos were reported in main towns of Nakuru, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nyeri among others as protesters urged MPs to shoot down the controversial Finance Bill which was later passed.
This prompted chaotic scenes after protesters stormed Parliament, leading to live bullets by police.
Lawyers and human rights groups expressed concern about use of live bullets to quel the riots and arbitrary arrests and the intimidation of activists during earlier protests.
Reports emerged of at least five prominent social media users including Gabriel Oguda being abducted at dawn, hours before the demonstrations. The protests have attracted international attention, with Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine and South Africa’s Julius Malema expressing their support.
Among those teargassed was former President Barack Obama’s sister, Auma, who had joined the protests in the capital Nairobi in scenes broadcast on live television.
The government has defended the taxes as necessary for raising additional revenue to reduce Kenya’s debt. However, in response to public outcry, it scrapped some contentious taxes, including those on bread, cooking oil, and motor vehicle ownership. Despite this, protesters have demanded the complete withdrawal of the bill.
Despite the ongoing protests, a majority of MPs passed the controversial bill during its second reading. On Tuesday, they debated various amendments to remove some clauses deemed contentious by the government.
At least two people died, and hundreds were injured in last week’s largely peaceful demonstrations. President William Ruto acknowledged the protests and promised to hold talks to address the concerns of the youth leading the demonstrations.
