Kenyan police fire blanks to disperse protesters hours after parliament breached
Authorities fired blanks to disperse protesters in Nairobi suburb overnight Wednesday, hours after protestors stormed parliament in deadly demonstrations, burning parts of the building while legislators fled, as the country grapples with controversial tax increases
Kenyan police fire blanks to disperse protesters hours after parliament breached
Show all 5Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Authorities fired blanks to disperse protestors in Nairobi suburb overnight Wednesday, hours after protestors stormed parliament in deadly demonstrations, burning parts of the building while legislators fled, as the country grapples with controversial tax increases.
Police said they fired over 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.
The military was deployed overnight to support police during the “security emergency” and patrolled the central business district on Tuesday night as President William Ruto called the events treasonous and vowed to quash the unrest “at whatever cost.”
Thousands of protesters stormed and burned a section of Kenya’s parliament Tuesday to protest tax proposals. Police responded with gunfire and several protesters were killed.
More than 100 people were injured in Tuesday’s protests, according to civil society groups. It is still unclear how many people were arrested.
U.N. Secretary General António 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.
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 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 panelists calling on the government to engage with the public.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.