- Kenyan authorities have resorted to tear gas
- Businesses in the city center remain largely shut
- The situation in Kenya remains tense
Kenyan authorities have resorted to tear gas in the capital Nairobi to disperse ongoing anti-government protests.
Businesses in the city center remain largely shut, while demonstrations have spread to other major cities like Mombasa and Kisumu.
Human rights groups paint a grim picture, claiming 39 people have been killed by security forces since the protests erupted two weeks ago, ignited by a controversial finance bill.
Despite President William Ruto’s decision to scrap the proposed tax increases, the demonstrations have evolved. Protesters now demand Ruto’s resignation and express outrage over police brutality.
Reports from Mombasa detail chaotic scenes, with burning cars and clashes between protestors and police. The unrest in Nairobi has even forced the postponement of court hearings, according to the Daily Nation newspaper.
The state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) pinpoints a surge in fatalities on the day parliament passed the bill. Their report, released Monday evening, suggests 17 deaths occurred in Nairobi alone, with an additional 22 across the country. They further document 361 injuries, 32 disappearances believed to be linked to the protests, and 627 arrests.
Amnesty International offers a slightly higher death toll of 24 protestors, contrasting with the police’s earlier figure of 19.
The situation in Kenya remains tense, with the path forward uncertain.
