The Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, condemned the unrest in the country’s capital Nairobi and promised that he would act swiftly and decisively to prevent “violence and anarchy” when the anti-tax demonstrations got violent.
Several people died and 31 others were injured as protests against proposed tax hikes in Nairobi on Tuesday erupted into violence, which resulted in five deaths and 31 people being injured. In response to the protests, Kenyan President William Ruto issued a harsh response to the demonstrations which took place on the grounds of parliament.
“I assure you that we will provide a comprehensive, effective, and expeditious response to today’s treasonous events,” he said, in an address to the press on Wednesday. During his speech, he described the protesters as a group of dangerous individuals who had taken over the protests.
As Ruto revealed in a further statement, “the idea of criminals impersonating peaceful protesters running rampant, terrorizing the people, their elected representatives, and the institutions established under our constitution for no apparent reason is inconceivable.”.
It seems that the protests were triggered by widespread anger over the government’s plan to raise taxes at a time when the cost of living is spiraling upward. A large number of demonstrators clashed with police, threw stones, and broke through barricades to enter the grounds of parliament, which were blocked by police. The 26-year-old lawyer, Elizabeth Nyaberi, who was one of the protesters, expressed the frustration of many young Kenyans, stating, “This is the voice of the young people. They are teargassing us, but we do not care.”.”.
There have been swift reactions from the international community. Several Western nations, including the United States, Germany, Canada, and Britain, have made appeals for calm in response to the violence, expressing their shock at the abuse and violence that occurred. In response to the violence and the deaths that have taken place, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed his deep concern and sadness. A similar call was made by African Union Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat to restrain the violence in order to prevent the escalation of the conflict.
According to the Kenya chapter of Amnesty International, the situation is deteriorating, and the organization urged the government to establish rules to protect the right of peaceful assembly. The police have also been accused of abducting protesters by officers dressed in civilian clothes who are supposed to be serving in the police force. According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, all abducted persons should be released unconditionally without any conditions.
In spite of recent government concessions to roll back a number of tax hikes, the government continues to plan to increase other levies, such as fuel and export taxes, in order to deal with shortfalls in the budget. As a result of these measures, some critics claim that living costs will increase in a nation that already struggles with inflation and widespread poverty because of the high cost of living.
In Kenya, which has one of the most dynamic economies in East Africa, there are a number of challenges to overcome, including the fact that one third of the population lives in poverty and the rising costs of debt servicing due to the depreciation of its currency.
Timenews1 provided that news.
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