Close Menu
  • Home
  • India
  • World
  • International
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Health
  • More
    • About Us
    • Cookie policy
    • Contact Us

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

What's Hot

Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance

August 19, 2025

Indian Astronaut Shares Amazing Space Secrets with PM Modi

August 19, 2025

India’s 100-Day Economic Revolution Begins: Here’s What Changes You’ll See First

August 19, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance
  • Indian Astronaut Shares Amazing Space Secrets with PM Modi
  • India’s 100-Day Economic Revolution Begins: Here’s What Changes You’ll See First
  • Varanasi Unveils India’s First Removable Solar Panels Between Railway Tracks
  • India to Launch First Hydrogen-Powered Train by End of 2025
  • Samsung Starts Manufacturing Laptops in India – Boost to Make in India
  • Paying Too Much for OTT? Indians Are Using This Smart Trick to Save ₹10,000 a Year
  • South Korea’s Workcation Visa for Indians: Earn ₹58L+ & Live in K-Drama Land for 2 Years!
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
dailybharat
  • Home
  • India
  • World
  • International
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Health
  • More
    • About Us
    • Cookie policy
    • Contact Us
dailybharat
Home»World»Kenyan President Vows “Full Response” As Anti-Tax Protests Intensify
World

Kenyan President Vows “Full Response” As Anti-Tax Protests Intensify

By June 25, 2024No Comments0 Views
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Kenya's President William Ruto vowed to take a tough line against “violence and anarchy” on Tuesday, after protests against his government's proposed tax hikes turned deadly and demonstrators ransacked parliament.

The youth-led protests, which have steadily grown over the past two weeks, had been largely peaceful but chaos erupted in the capital on Tuesday, with crowds throwing stones at police, pushing past barricades and ultimately entering the grounds of Kenya's parliament.

The military has been deployed to support police who fired tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and — according to a rights group — live ammunition against protesters.

Five people were shot dead and 31 wounded, several NGOs including Amnesty Kenya reported in a joint statement.

“We shall provide a full, effective and expeditious response to today's treasonous events,” Ruto told a press briefing in Nairobi, saying the demonstrations were “hijacked by dangerous people”.

“It is not in order or even conceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions established under our constitution and expect to go scot-free,” Ruto added.

“I hereby put on notice the planners, financiers, orchestrators, abetters of violence and anarchy.”

The White House appealed for calm and 13 Western nations — including Canada, Germany and Britain — said they were “especially shocked” by the scenes outside parliament.

Mainly youth-led rallies have galvanised outrage over proposed tax hikes and simmering anger over a cost-of-living crisis to fuel rapidly growing demonstrations that have caught the government off guard.

“This is the voice of the young people of Kenya,” said Elizabeth Nyaberi, 26, a lawyer at a protest. “They are tear gassing us, but we don't care.”

“We are here to speak for our generations and the generations to come,” she added.

– ‘Unleashed brute force' –

Amid the clashes, global web monitor NetBlocks reported that a “major disruption” had hit the country's internet service.

In the aftermath of the parliament compound breach, local TV showed images of ransacked rooms with smashed windows, while cars parked outside were vandalised and flags destroyed, according to an AFP reporter.

The governor's office in Nairobi City Hall — just a few hundred metres from parliament — was set alight, footage on privately owned Citizen TV showed, with a water cannon attempting to douse the fire.

After reports that live ammunition was fired at protesters, Kenya's main opposition coalition, Azimio, said the government had “unleashed brute force on our country's children”.

“Kenya cannot afford to kill its children just because the children are asking for food, jobs and a listening ear,” it said in a statement.

The military's deployment was “in response to the security emergency” across Kenya, Defence Minister Aden Bare Duale said in a statement.

Despite the heavy police presence, thousands of protesters had earlier marched peacefully through Nairobi's business district, many livestreaming the action as they sang and beat drums in their push towards parliament.

Crowds also marched in the port city of Mombasa, the opposition bastion of Kisumu, and Ruto's stronghold of Eldoret, images on Kenyan TV channels showed.

– Protesters ‘abducted' –

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority watchdog and rights groups said two people had died following last week's rallies in Nairobi.

Several organisations, including Amnesty International Kenya, said at least 200 people were wounded in last week's protests in Nairobi.

Amnesty's Kenya chapter posted on X Tuesday that “the pattern of policing protests is deteriorating fast”, urging the government to respect demonstrators' right to assembly.

Rights watchdogs have also accused the authorities of abducting protesters.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission said the abductions had mostly occurred at night and were “conducted by police officers in civilian clothes and unmarked cars”, calling for the “unconditional release of all abductees”.

Police have not responded to AFP requests for comment on the allegations.

– Fuel price hikes –

The cash-strapped government agreed last week to roll back several tax increases.

But it still intends to raise other taxes to fill the void left by the changes, including on fuel prices and export taxes, saying they are necessary for filling the state coffers and cutting reliance on external borrowing.

Critics say the move will make life more expensive in a country already saddled with high inflation and where well-paid jobs are out-of-reach for many young Kenyans.

Kenya has one of the most dynamic economies in East Africa but a third of its 52 million people live in poverty.

The country has a huge debt mountain whose servicing costs have ballooned because of a fall in the value of the local currency over the last two years, making interest payments on foreign-currency loans more expensive.

After the government agreed to scrap levies on bread purchases, car ownership and financial and mobile services, the treasury warned of a budget shortfall of 200 billion shillings ($1.56 billion).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Telegram Email

    Related Posts

    Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance

    August 19, 2025

    India–China Direct Flights Set to Resume After 5 Years

    August 13, 2025

    X Platform Faces Massive Cyberattack, Musk Blame to Ukraine Origins

    March 11, 2025
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance

    August 19, 2025

    Indian Astronaut Shares Amazing Space Secrets with PM Modi

    August 19, 2025
    Top Posts

    Best Car For Long Drive 2024 (Check Full List)

    August 26, 202423

    MuscleBlaze: A Benchmark in Whey Protein Excellence

    January 8, 202520

    Noel Tata appointed chairman of Tata Trusts: Continuing Ratan Tata’s Legacy at Tata Trusts

    October 14, 202417

    Bangladesh PM to Resign? Sheikh Hasina Evacuates Dhaka Palace for ‘Safer Haven’

    August 5, 202417
    Don't Miss
    Entertainment

    Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance

    By DB BureauAugust 19, 2025

    Global music star Taylor Swift recently appeared on a podcast. It was not just any…

    Indian Astronaut Shares Amazing Space Secrets with PM Modi

    August 19, 2025

    India’s 100-Day Economic Revolution Begins: Here’s What Changes You’ll See First

    August 19, 2025

    Varanasi Unveils India’s First Removable Solar Panels Between Railway Tracks

    August 19, 2025
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Vimeo

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    News

    • Home
    • India
    • World
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Health
    • Travel

    Company

    • Privacy policy
    • About us
    • Advertising
    • Information
    • Contact Info
    • Media Kits

    Latest Stories

    Taylor Swift Breaks The Internet With Podcast Appearance
    Indian Astronaut Shares Amazing Space Secrets with PM Modi
    India’s 100-Day Economic Revolution Begins: Here’s What Changes You’ll See First
    © 2025 Dailybharat.All Rights Reserved.
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Accessibility

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.