Kenyans have woken up to the acrid smell of tear gas still lingering in the capital, a day after protesters stormed parliament amid violent demonstrations over a controversial tax plan during which at least six people were killed.
As the day began, there were no reports of further violence in Nairobi.
Police and soldiers patrolled the streets as city workers began cleaning up debris. Parliament, the city hall and the supreme court were still cordoned off with tape reading: “Crime Scene – Do Not Enter.”
The military was deployed overnight to support police as President William Ruto called the violent protests treasonous, and vowed to quash unrest “at whatever cost”.
Kenya has been rocked by massive protests for over a week in opposition to a proposed finance bill that would raise taxes amid simmering frustrations over the cost of living.
Many young people who helped vote Mr Ruto into power on the basis of his promises of economic relief have taken to the streets to object to the reforms.
Thousands of protesters stormed Kenya’s parliament on Tuesday, burning parts of the building while legislators fled. Police responded with gunfire and several protesters were killed. The city mortuary told The Associated Press that it received six bodies from police on Tuesday.
Police said they fired more than 700 blanks in Githurai, a suburb east of the capital Nairobi.
Videos of gunfire piercing the night air were shared online and reported by local media.
More than 100 people were injured in Tuesday’s protests, according to civil society groups. It is still unclear how many people were arrested.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply saddened by reports of deaths and injuries.
“I urge the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint, and call for all demonstrations to take place peacefully,” he wrote on the social media platform X.
I am deeply saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries – including of journalists and medical personnel – connected to protests and street demonstrations in Kenya.
I urge the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint, and call for all demonstrations to take place peacefully.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) June 26, 2024
The unprecedented protests that breached parliament saw young people rallying against rising prices for fuel, food and other necessities.
In Nairobi, a regional hub for expatriates and home to a United Nations complex, inequality among Kenyans has sharpened along with long-held frustrations over state corruption.
Opposition to the finance bill has united a large part of the country, with some explicitly rejecting the tribal divisions that have torn Kenya apart in the past. Some who had passionately supported Mr Ruto felt betrayed.
A Kenyan newspaper, Daily Nation, called for dialogue. “Let’s reason together,” its front page said.
Citizen TV, a local broadcaster, led a discussion titled A Nation on the Brink, with panellists calling on the government to engage with the public.
