Masses Demonstrate in Kenya's Streets
In Kenya, masses took to the streets in defiance of the government's proposed tax hikes. Armed with air horns and voices echoing their discontent, the mostly youthful mob expressed their rage towards the authorities and the impending tax legislation under consideration in parliament. In the heart of Nairobi, the law enforcers responded with tear gas and water cannons. Although sporadic physical skirmishes were reported, the demonstrations largely remained non-violent.
The unrest sparked in Nairobi on a Tuesday and swelled across the country in the hours that followed. Within mere hours of the protests commencing, the government rescinded some of the proposed tax rises.
However, the administration of President William Ruto remains steadfast in implementing other tax increases, citing the necessity to replenish the state treasury and decrease Kenya's reliance on foreign loans. Proposed amendments include a 16% value-added tax on bread and escalated auto taxes. Residents of the east African nation are already battling exorbitant living expenses.
"I fear for my future," lamented Ivy, a 26-year-old job seeker, to news agency AFP. "This bill must not pass. It will obliterate us. We have no jobs. We can't even begin businesses here, we can't do anything in this country," she mourned.
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The protests against the tax increases, led by the Kenyan youth, echoed throughout the streets of Kenya, with thousands participating. Despite the government's decision to halt some of the proposed tax hikes, the threat of further increases, such as the proposed 16% value-added tax on bread and increased auto taxes, continues to concern Kenyan residents like Ivy, who expressed her fears of the impact on her future financial stability.
