Nairobi — A section of Parliament was set ablaze on Tuesday after protesters gained entry, forcing police to open fire and killing at least four demonstrators.
The violent scenes unfolded as police struggled to disperse rioters who had stormed Parliament following the passage of a controversial Finance Bill that seeks to raise taxes. Several protesters sustained serious bullet wounds during the chaos, which was marked by live bullets and tear gas.
"People have been shot, it is very bad," one protester yelled, fleeing from a thick cloud of tear gas.
Witnesses reported seeing four bodies of protesters lying in a pool of blood outside Parliament. "I have seen four bodies of the protesters who were shot dead," a witness confirmed.
In the chaos, a section of Parliament and a truck parked outside the fence were set on fire. "We have never seen this before, God save Kenya," an elderly man screamed as he ran from the scene.
Our crew covering the youth-led protests counted more than 10 people being rushed to hospitals by ambulances, while others remained on the ground, writhing in pain.
Thousands of protesters engaged in running battles with the police throughout the day, with security officers firing rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds. The protests were not limited to Nairobi; similar chaos erupted in major towns including Nakuru, Mombasa, Eldoret, and Nyeri.
Businesses were shut, and transport was paralyzed in the city as police clashed with demonstrators. The youth-led protests have been calling on MPs to reject the proposed tax increases. The government, which has backtracked on some of the most controversial measures, insists that new taxes are needed to fund spending programs and reduce the debt burden.
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Despite the protests, a majority of MPs passed the controversial bill during its second reading. On Tuesday, they debated various amendments to remove some contentious clauses.
Lawyers and human rights groups expressed concern over the use of live bullets to quell the riots and the arbitrary arrests and intimidation of activists during earlier protests. Reports emerged of at least five prominent social media users, including Gabriel Oguda, being abducted at dawn, hours before the demonstrations. The protests have attracted international attention, with Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine and South Africa's Julius Malema expressing their support.
Among those teargassed was former President Barack Obama's sister, Auma, who had joined the protests in the capital Nairobi, in scenes broadcast on live television.
The government has defended the taxes as necessary for raising additional revenue to reduce Kenya's debt. However, in response to public outcry, it scrapped some contentious taxes, including those on bread, cooking oil, and motor vehicle ownership. Despite this, protesters have demanded the complete withdrawal of the bill.
At least two people died, and hundreds were injured in last week's largely peaceful demonstrations. President William Ruto acknowledged the protests and promised to hold talks to address the concerns of the youth leading the demonstrations.
