Kenya shocked as protests turn deadly

Kenya was in shock on Wednesday after unprecedented scenes left parts of Parliament burning and gutted, as protests against proposed tax increases turned deadly, prompting President William Ruto’s government to deploy the army.

“Deaths, chaos,” headlined the Standard newspaper on its front page, while the Daily Nation described the situation as “pandemonium,” saying: “The foundations of the country have been shaken to the core.”

The rallies, led mainly by young people, began largely peacefully last week, with thousands of demonstrators marching in the capital Nairobi and across the country against tax increases.

But tensions flared Tuesday afternoon, when police fired live ammunition into the crowd who then ransacked the Parliament complex, with rights groups saying the violence left five people dead and more than 30 injured.

Hours later, Defense Minister Aden Bare Duale announced that the government had deployed the army to support the police in the fight against the “security emergency” in the country.

At a late-night press briefing, Ruto warned his government would take a hard line against “violence and anarchy”, equating some protesters with “criminals”.

“It is neither acceptable nor even conceivable that criminals posing as peaceful demonstrators can unleash a reign of terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions established by our constitution and hope to escape unscathed,” he said. he declared.

The government was surprised by the intensity of opposition to its tax proposals – led mainly by young Kenyans from Generation Z – which culminated in the shocking scenes in Parliament that were broadcast live on television.

Footage shared on local television channels after the crowd broke through the barricades showed the building ransacked, with burned furniture and broken windows.

As police fired on the angry crowd, leaving several bodies strewn on the ground, protest organizers urged people to go home together and “stay safe.”

– ‘Madness’ –

A strong police presence was deployed around Parliament on Wednesday morning, according to an AFP journalist, with the smell of tear gas still present.

A police officer standing in front of the compound’s broken barricades told AFP he had watched the distressing scenes unfold on television.

“It was crazy, we hope it will be calm today,” he said.

Earlier Tuesday, rallies in several Kenyan towns were largely peaceful.

However, tensions escalated in Nairobi in the afternoon, with some protesters throwing stones at police, who deployed tear gas and water cannons before firing live ammunition.

The Kenyan Human Rights Commission said at least one protester was shot dead by police. AFP journalists saw three people bleeding profusely and lying motionless on the ground near Parliament.

A joint statement by rights groups, including Amnesty International’s Kenya chapter, said police shot dead five people.

As night fell, internet services collapsed, with global web monitor NetBlocks reporting that Kenya had suffered a “major disruption” before access was restored overnight.

– ‘Brute force’ –

The unrest alarmed the international community, with the White House calling for calm and more than ten Western countries, including Canada, Germany and Britain, saying they were “particularly shocked by the scenes observed in front of the Kenyan Parliament”.

The head of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed his “deep concern” over the loss of life, calling on “all stakeholders to demonstrate calm and refrain from further violence” .

Raila Odinga, former opposition leader and leader of the Azimio coalition, accused the government of unleashing “brute force on the children of our country”.

“Kenya cannot afford to kill its children simply because they are asking for food, work and a listening ear,” he said.

Human rights organizations have also accused authorities of kidnapping protesters.

Police did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

– Cost of life –

Long-standing grievances over the rising cost of living intensified last week as lawmakers began debating tax increases proposed in the 2024 budget bill.

The cash-strapped government says the increases are necessary to pay off the country’s massive debt, which stands at some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), or about 70 percent of Kenya’s GDP.

After cancelling some of the most controversial proposals – which would have affected the purchase of bread, car ownership and financial and mobile services – the government now intends to increase fuel prices and export duties.

Kenya’s Treasury has warned of a huge budget deficit of 200 billion shillings, following Ruto’s decision to reverse some tax hikes.

While Kenya is one of East Africa’s fastest growing economies, a third of its 52 million people live in poverty.

dyg-rbu-amu/smw