Multiple fatalities reported during storm on Kenya's parliament building
On screen, crowds breached Police barriers near the Parliament, prompting officers to fire their weapons. The Kenya Medical Association reported at least five fatalities and 31 injuries among the demonstrators. Tragically, some deaths occurred while attempted aid was being given to the injured. Irungu Houghton from Amnesty International stated that the Police resorted to "progressively violent ammunition" against the protesters.
Associated Press reporters on location observed several unresponsive bodies soaked in blood on the ground before the Parliament building. In one Parliament structure, a brief fire erupted. Pictures from the complex showed damaged and pillaged rooms, upturned furniture, smashed windows, and scattered burning debris on the lawns.
Citizen TV broadcasted images of a conflagration in the Governor's office building, merely a few hundred meters from the Parliament. Authorities are said to have employed water cannons to put out the blaze.
Network organization NetBlocks, using live network data, reported a more substantial interruption of web connections in Kenya during the riots.
These protests against the government's planned tax hikes commenced in the capital, Nairobi, a week prior, subsequently spreading across the nation. Initially led by young adults, the protests were joined by various age groups.
The citizens of this eastern African nation are burdened with exorbitant living expenses. The government reasoned the proposed tax hikes were necessary to cover the country's colossal debts and provide the state with additional flexibility.
Earlier in mid-June, the government had retracted a considerable portion of the proposed tax hikes due to the protests. For instance, the planned increase of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 16% for bread, financial services, and currency exchange, as well as the introduction of a new vehicle tax, were scrapped. President William Ruto declared in Parliament that the MPs had "heard the people" and "amended the proposals".
Despite the partial tax hike retractions, the demonstrations under the banner "Occupy Parliament" (Take over the Parliament) persisted. The protesters demand the complete withdrawal of the measures and accuse the government of crafty tricks. For example, they suspect the government aims to balance the loss of some tax hikes through other measures, such as a 50% fuel tax increase.
The current Kenyan leader Ruto campaigned for office in 2022 as a representative of the lower income populace. Yet, during anti-tax increase protests in Kenya the previous year, several individuals were killed.
Kenya stands out as one of Africa's fastest developing economies, yet approximately one-third of the population dwells in poverty. As per World Bank forecasts, the growth rate is expected to decrease to approximately 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by year's end. The inflation rate stood at 5.1% in May.
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- Amnesty International, like several other human rights organizations, condemned the use of force by the Kenyan Police during the storm at the Parliament building.
- The AFP reported that the ambit of the tax increase proposals, including the hike in VAT and vehicle tax, remains a contentious issue amidst the ongoing protests in Nairobi.
- Despite the absence of a clear statement from the government, rumors circulated that a significant tax increase on fuel was being considered as a substitute for the scrapped measures.
- The death of a prominent opposition leader during the storm at the Parliament building sparked fresh outrage and led to more widespread protests across Kenya.
- Following the violent incident at the Parliament building, Kenyan lawmakers called for an investigation into the alleged excessive use of force by the police during the protests.
