Kenya Tax Protests Turn Violent: 200 Injured, 100 Arrested Amid Unrest

Photo : Reuters

Nairobi: Protests against the proposed tax hikes in Kenya erupted into violence on Thursday, resulting in at least 200 injuries and over 100 arrests across the country. The demonstrations, organized in response to the government's plan to raise $2.7 billion in additional taxes, faced a heavy-handed police response, as reported by an alliance of rights groups including Amnesty International and the Kenya Medical Association.

In the capital city of Nairobi, police used tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse the crowds. According to the rights groups, the presence of spent cartridges indicated the use of live ammunition. Tragically, the Daily Nation newspaper reported that one individual succumbed to a gunshot wound to his thigh at Bliss Hospital. This was corroborated by a police report seen by Reuters, which mentioned a 29-year-old man who died during treatment for a thigh wound at the same hospital. The report did not specify the cause of his injury, but he was believed to be the same individual mentioned by the newspaper. Nairobi county police commander Adamson Bungei was unavailable for comment.

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The alliance of rights groups commended the protesters for their peaceful demeanor despite the police provocation. "We commend the several thousands of protesters, many of whom are youthful, for picketing peacefully (and) exhibiting restraint and decorum despite provocation by police," the groups said in a joint statement.

The protesters are calling for the government to completely abandon the finance bill, arguing that it will severely harm the economy and increase the cost of living for Kenyans who are already struggling financially. The International Monetary Fund, however, has expressed support for the government's need to increase revenues to address the budget deficit and reduce state borrowing.

In response to the protests, the government showed some willingness to compromise. Earlier this week, President William Ruto endorsed recommendations to remove certain levies from the proposed finance bill, including those on car ownership, bread, cooking oil, and financial transactions.

Despite the widespread protests, which affected 19 of Kenya's 47 counties, lawmakers moved forward with the finance bill. On Thursday, they passed the bill in its second reading, advancing the contested tax proposals to the next stage of approval. The parliament's budget committee has warned that the proposed changes could create a 200 billion Kenyan shillings ($1.56 billion) shortfall in the 2024/25 budget, necessitating government spending cuts. Lawmakers are expected to reconvene on Tuesday to vote on the proposed amendments to the bill.

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