Protests in Kenya lead to mass detentions following citizen outrage over increased taxes.
Grassroots organizations declared that at least 283 individuals have been detained since Tuesday, as rallies intensified due to the proposed tax hikes.
There was uproar in the capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday over the disputed bill, leading the government to revise it after numerous demonstrators gathered near the nation's parliament building.
A calm from a 16% value-added tax on bread and a 2.5% tax on automobiles, as per a statement from Kenya's presidency, was announced.
Furthermore, the government decided to abandon plans for an increase in mobile money transfer fees, as well as taxes on vegetable oil. Additionally, taxes on locally-produced items like diapers and sanitary napkins have been withdrawn.
However, not all Kenyans were satisfied with the adjustments and demanded the bill be canceled entirely.
"We are rejecting the whole thing," John Wills Njoroge wrote on social media platform X. "We didn't ask for amendments. We asked for the withdrawal of the entire bill," he further stated.
Video clips posted on social media on Wednesday showed a demonstration in Mombassa, where protesters were marching in the rain to voice their dissatisfaction with the bill.
In another location, protesters could be heard chanting: “Reject, not amend.”
On Wednesday, CNN affiliate NTV shared footage of police dispersing protesters in Mombasa using tear gas.
It's unclear at this moment if any arrests have taken place in Mombasa, which is Kenya's second-largest city.
Amnesty International's Kenya office expressed deep concern over the arbitrary detention of peaceful demonstrators in Nairobi on Tuesday.
The human rights organization accused the Kenyan Police Service of disregarding the right to protest, instead opting to stifle opposition via force and intimidation.
CNN reached out to the Kenyan Police Service for comment.
A coalition of civil society groups called for the unconditional release of these detained protesters, including journalists.
"The excessive use of force, intimidation of civilians, violation of privacy through physical searches, and arbitrary arrests is a direct breach of the constitutional rights of the people of Kenya," the coalition asserted.
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The global community is monitoring the situation in Kenya closely, expressing concern over the mass detentions of protesters.This widespread outrage against the tax hikes in Kenya has sparked discussions about economic policies and their impact on citizens, not just in Africa, but around the world.
