Parliament stormed in Kenya, resulting in at least one fatality.
The Kenyan administration is raising taxes, sparking countrywide protests. Across Kenya, people are voicing their disapproval. In Nairobi, protesters breached the parliament buildings. Police opened fire. At least one individual lost their life, several were wounded. The structure caught fire, legislators reportedly escaped through underground tunnels.
During a tranquil demonstration concerning questionable tax increases in Nairobi, Kenya, hundreds of protesters breached the parliament. Kenyan television broadcasts depicted individuals surmounting police barricades. The police employed tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition against the protesters. As per the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, one demonstrator was shot dead, and at least three endured gunshot injuries. Incomplete reports suggest that the death toll could be higher.
Protesters shared on social media that eight to ten people may have perished, yet official statistics weren't confirmed until late in the evening. Hospitals and medical organizations reported numerous injuries but couldn't provide the total count. Television footage showed multiple ambulances arriving at Kenyatta Hospital, Nairobi's largest hospital. The protests began peacefully in the morning.
Police vehicles were torched, as was part of the parliament building. Legislators allegedly escaped through underground passages, according to media reports. The protesters aimed to reach a vote on new taxes featured in a contentious financial bill in the parliament. At the time, the third reading of the controversial tax bill was underway in the parliament. Television footage showed broken windows and damage to the parliament building.
In the afternoon, City Hall, the seat of the regional government in Nairobi, was torched and partially looted, as television footage revealed. Reports also came in from other regions about looting and burning vehicles, but also peaceful protests.
The protests against the government's proposed tax increases had started in the capital Nairobi a week prior and had spread throughout the country. At least two people had already been slain during the unrest. Citizens of the east African nation are battling exorbitant living expenses.
Youth Unemployment Crisis
The administration has withdrawn the proposition to impose a 16% value-added tax on bread. However, tempers flared over a planned ecotax, which would inflate the cost of feminine hygiene products for women and children.
Numerous individuals worry that the law would further increase living costs. Churches and the business community have also voiced their opposition to the law. The protests began peacefully. However, the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile after the police's confrontational response. During the parliament invasion, hundreds of protesters remained peacefully outside.
The protest movement is primarily led by young people, who organized through social media. In Kenya, youth unemployment is rampant. Many well-educated college or university graduates struggle to find employment. Since his inauguration two years ago, Kenya's President William Ruto has implemented a series of new taxes to alleviate the country's financial predicament.
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The escalating demonstrations against the tax increase in Kenya, specifically the proposed ecotax on feminine hygiene products, resulted in violent clashes between protesters and the Police in Nairobi. This led to further demonstrations and riots spreading across Kenya, with reports of damages to the parliament building and City Hall. The Police response to these demonstrations resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities, with one reported death during the invasion of the parliament buildings.
