Anti-govt protests rages on in Kenya despite finance bill reversal
TLDR
- Riot police clash with protesters in downtown Nairobi and across Kenya, marking widespread unrest and demands for President Ruto's resignation.
- Protests evolve from opposition to tax increases to outcry against police brutality, posing a serious crisis for President Ruto.
- Tuesday's demonstrations, initially jubilant, escalate into violence with police charging at protesters and tear gas bombs exploding in Nairobi's business district.
Riot police fired tear gas grenades and clashed with stone-throwing protesters in downtown Nairobi and across Kenya on Tuesday, marking the most widespread unrest since at least two dozen protesters died in clashes a week ago.
The nationwide demonstrations indicate that President William Ruto has failed to quell a spontaneous youth protest movement, despite abandoning plans for tax increases that triggered last week's unrest. The protests have evolved into demands for his resignation and outrage over police brutality, presenting the most serious crisis of his presidency.
Tuesday's demonstrations began with a jubilant atmosphere but turned violent as the day progressed. In Nairobi's downtown business district, police in helmets, carrying shields and wielding wooden clubs charged at protesters, while tear gas bombs exploded in the crowds.
Key Takeaways
President Ruto, facing the most severe crisis of his nearly two-year presidency, is caught between the demands of lenders like the International Monetary Fund to reduce deficits and a population struggling with the soaring cost of living. The protest movement, which lacks official leaders and largely organizes via social media, has rejected Ruto's calls for dialogue—even after he abandoned his proposed tax increases. Human rights groups report that 39 people have been killed by security forces since protests against a controversial finance bill began two weeks ago. While the scale of demonstrations is smaller than last week's, chaotic scenes have erupted in Mombasa, where cars were seen burning as protesters clashed with police.
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