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Kenyan President William Ruto on Tuesday condemned protests that left parliament stormed and at least five people shot dead as “treasonous” – but he expressed his opposition to a controversial finance bill. did not address the growing resentment, which led to frequent demonstrations.
Kenya has been gripped by national protests against proposed tax increases, culminating in a “total shutdown” of the country on Tuesday that temporarily turned violent as police fired tear gas and live bullets at protesters.
The controversial finance bill has triggered repeated protests leading to “7 days of fury”. Last month, the federal government canceled some tax increases, including taxes on motor cars, vegetable oil and cellular cash transfers as well as a proposed 16% value-added tax on bread. However, the concessions have not been enough to quell protests amid rising costs of living.
A CNN team saw two bodies lying on the floor in Nairobi as the country’s parliament was ransacked. Kenyan police were also apparently beating and later arresting some paramedics who were helping injured protesters.
While preparing for a national agreement with the next parliament, Ruto said Tuesday’s events were a serious ultimatum to “national security” and that negotiations around the bill had been “hijacked by bad people.”
The President said, “It is not appropriate, or even conceivable, that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can spread terror against the people, their elected representatives, and the institutions established under our Constitution and Can expect to be spotless.” Democratic voice and crime must be separated from each other.
Kenya’s Defense Ministry said the army had been deployed to protect the country’s police services as human rights and civil society groups criticized the police’s heavy-handed response on Tuesday.
It was reported that at least five people were shot dead and about 31 injured during Tuesday’s protests. Of these, 13 were shot with live bullets, 4 with rubber bullets, and 3 with launcher canisters, according to a joint commentary by Amnesty World Kenya, the Kenya Clinical Association, the Legislative People’s Committee of Kenya and Police Reforms. Running Workforce Kenya.
The joint comment also accused police of opening fire on a scientific disaster center located in a church. CNN has contacted Kenyan police for comment.
“The use of live bullets must stop now,” the comment said. “Despite government assurances that the right to assembly will be protected and facilitated, today’s protests have devolved into violence. Human rights observers and medical officials reported numerous incidents of human rights violations.
Protests sparked by the Finance Bill 2024 apparently saw voters rally under the banner of “7 Days of Rage”, as crowds brace for more days of unrest.
Dramatic scenes unfolded inside the capital as mobs set administrative buildings on fire and a ceremonial mace was stolen from Parliament during the melee. Kenyan lawmakers were escorted out of parliament as police moved toward the protesters, CNN affiliate NTV Kenya reported.
Web tracking website Online NetBlocks reported “major disruption” to web connectivity on Tuesday.
CNN affiliate Citizen TV confirmed that Nairobi’s Town Hall, which houses the Nairobi Governor’s office, was also set on fire.
The chimney can clearly see the heat through the lower ground window, with smoke also coming out from the other windows. According to Citizen TV, some countries are apparently removing furnishings, including chairs, from the building.
Vehicles parked at Kenya’s Splendid Court, which is similar to a town hall, were also set to be burned.
Earlier on Tuesday, Auma Obama, half-sister of former United States President Barack Obama, was tear gassed by police during an interview with CNN Live Breeze, Speed in protest against the bill.
“I can’t even watch now, we’re being tear gassed,” Obama said in dramatic photos captured by a CNN team on the ground. Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking to CNN with a group of young protesters at one point when tear gas was fired into the crowd in Nairobi.
A spokesman for former President Obama declined to comment on the tear gasoline incident Tuesday.
“I’m here because look what’s happening. Young Kenyans are protesting for their rights. They’re demonstrating with flags and banners,” Obama said.
Security forces have also been accused of kidnapping prominent Kenyans, especially those with large followings on social media. Amnesty World Kenya says it is investigating the whereabouts of more than 12 countrymen who were “kidnapped in the middle of the night” ahead of Tuesday’s planned protests. ,
The list includes bloggers, content creators, human rights defenders, a doctor and a parliamentary staffer, Amnesty Kenya executive director Irungu Haughton told CNN.
“We are horrified by some of the testimony we have heard in the last 24 hours. We have about 12 people with no known whereabouts who have been picked up in many cases by men in uniform or by men in uniform,” Haughton said, adding that they had not received assistance from the prison and that their families had no information about their whereabouts. Didn’t know.
“Now we are seeing not only kidnappings but also disappearances,” he said.
CNN has contacted Kenyan police for comment.
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga called on the federal government to “immediately stop the violence perpetrated on civilians by its agencies”. In a comment on X, Odinga also called for the arrest of law enforcement officers who are believed to have shot and killed the protesters, as well as the immediate withdrawal of the country’s controversial finance bill .
World leaders called for peace on Tuesday.
The UN secretary-general called on Kenya’s police and security forces to “exercise restraint”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday, adding that he was “deeply concerned at the violence we have seen.”
The African Union Commission called on all stakeholders to refrain from further violence. A statement from FRAME said its president, Moussa Faki Mahamat, “urged all stakeholders to maintain calm and avoid further violence.” The Chairperson also appealed to national stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue in the supreme interest of Kenya to resolve the contentious issues that led to the protests.
The protests come at a time when Kenya’s situation is rising to prominence globally as US President Joe Biden on Monday designated the country a “major non-NATO ally”, the first time the sub-Saharan African community has Has won this situation.
In May, Biden announced his decision to elevate Kenya to this designation, hosting President Ruto at the White House for a glittering state talk, celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Several Kenyan police officers on Tuesday launched a multinational project in the Haitian capital to support Haiti’s National Police in battling dangerous gangs that have taken over much of Port-au-Prince .