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At least five people were killed and dozens injured on Tuesday when Kenyan police fired on protesters attempting to storm the parliament in Nairobi during demonstrations against a proposed tax increase.
“A section of the parliament is on fire,” a source told JURIST from the scene.
“Multiple people are said to have been shot and killed near parliament,” said senior JURIST correspondent Aynsley Genga from Nairobi. She relayed reports of abductions having been occurring throughout the day, and claims of live bullets being used in multiple parts of Kenya’s capital city. She noted an incident of the live feed of parliamentary proceedings having stopped for nearly 30 minutes, leading to speculation about what was happening in parliament.
Security forces resorted to live ammunition after tear gas and water cannons failed to disperse the crowd, which had overwhelmed the police and caused significant damage, including setting part of the parliament building ablaze. The protesters, voicing their opposition to the tax hikes and calling for President William Ruto‘s resignation, clashed with police in multiple cities across the country.
In a national address, President Ruto condemned the violence, describing it as orchestrated by criminal elements under the guise of peaceful protest. He emphasized that maintaining security and upholding the rule of law were top priorities, and pledged a firm response to what he termed “treasonous actions.”
Defense Minister Aden Duale announced the deployment of the military to assist police in managing what he called a “security emergency.”
Condemning what it described as a contravention of international laws and standards, the Kenya Medical Association, confirmed that at least five people had died and dozens were injured, some by live bullets.
The protests, initially peaceful, turned violent as demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of the finance bill, which seeks to raise $2.7 billion to address Kenya’s heavy debt burden. Despite government concessions to scrap some proposed taxes, the public outcry has intensified, driven by the economic hardships many Kenyans face.
International observers, including the United States and European countries, expressed deep concern over the violence and urged restraint from all sides. Internet services were disrupted across Kenya amid the chaos, with the leading network operator attributing it to technical issues.
Opposition leaders have called for President Ruto to step down, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation and the proposed tax policies. The unrest highlights the significant economic and political challenges facing the country as it grapples with multiple crises.
Another JURIST correspondent on the ground reported: “It’s not fully ascertained but with how the police have acted today. It doesn’t seem unlikely considering how many people have already been killed. And there’s the fact that forces from the barracks in Langata are being sent to the Nairobi CBD. People are being advised to leave town before the chaos ensues.”
A third JURIST correspondent reported that he was unable to return home after covering the protests due to roadblocks set up across Nairobi.
The post Kenya police open fire on protesters as parliament building set ablaze appeared first on JURIST - News.
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“A section of the parliament is on fire,” a source told JURIST from the scene.
“Multiple people are said to have been shot and killed near parliament,” said senior JURIST correspondent Aynsley Genga from Nairobi. She relayed reports of abductions having been occurring throughout the day, and claims of live bullets being used in multiple parts of Kenya’s capital city. She noted an incident of the live feed of parliamentary proceedings having stopped for nearly 30 minutes, leading to speculation about what was happening in parliament.
Security forces resorted to live ammunition after tear gas and water cannons failed to disperse the crowd, which had overwhelmed the police and caused significant damage, including setting part of the parliament building ablaze. The protesters, voicing their opposition to the tax hikes and calling for President William Ruto‘s resignation, clashed with police in multiple cities across the country.
In a national address, President Ruto condemned the violence, describing it as orchestrated by criminal elements under the guise of peaceful protest. He emphasized that maintaining security and upholding the rule of law were top priorities, and pledged a firm response to what he termed “treasonous actions.”
Defense Minister Aden Duale announced the deployment of the military to assist police in managing what he called a “security emergency.”
Condemning what it described as a contravention of international laws and standards, the Kenya Medical Association, confirmed that at least five people had died and dozens were injured, some by live bullets.
The protests, initially peaceful, turned violent as demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of the finance bill, which seeks to raise $2.7 billion to address Kenya’s heavy debt burden. Despite government concessions to scrap some proposed taxes, the public outcry has intensified, driven by the economic hardships many Kenyans face.
International observers, including the United States and European countries, expressed deep concern over the violence and urged restraint from all sides. Internet services were disrupted across Kenya amid the chaos, with the leading network operator attributing it to technical issues.
Opposition leaders have called for President Ruto to step down, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation and the proposed tax policies. The unrest highlights the significant economic and political challenges facing the country as it grapples with multiple crises.
Another JURIST correspondent on the ground reported: “It’s not fully ascertained but with how the police have acted today. It doesn’t seem unlikely considering how many people have already been killed. And there’s the fact that forces from the barracks in Langata are being sent to the Nairobi CBD. People are being advised to leave town before the chaos ensues.”
A third JURIST correspondent reported that he was unable to return home after covering the protests due to roadblocks set up across Nairobi.
The post Kenya police open fire on protesters as parliament building set ablaze appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.