Police at today’s protests in Nairobi were using lots of teargas to clear protesters from the Nairobi CBD. This explains why there are not many videos going around from the capital city today showing people marching in the much anticipated ‘Million People March’ planned to take place today.
Kenyans have been protesting over the Finance Bill 2024, which contains several contentious proposals. The primary concerns revolve around increased taxes that would significantly impact the cost of living. Notable issues include proposed taxes on basic goods and services, such as a 16% VAT on ordinary bread and a 2.5% motor vehicle circulation tax, which have since been scrapped from the bill following public outcry. The protests, organized under the hashtag #rejectfinancebill2024, aimed to pressure lawmakers to reject the bill.
In response to the demonstrations in Nairobi’s Central Business District, the Kenyan government beefed up security around Parliament and other key areas to manage the situation and disperse crowds. This in turn led to brutal attacks against peaceful protesters over the past few days involving live bullets, tear gas, colored pressurized water and arrests.
The official reported death toll is over 23 so far but the unofficial reports state that the toll is at over 275 deaths following a Massacre by Kenya military against protesters walking home from the protests on Tuesday night in the Githurai neighborhood of Nairobi. Kenyans allege that there appears to be a cover up of this massacre to shield the president from prosecution for crimes against humanity as both local and international press are barely mentioning this incident despite videos of it, showing police pursuing and shooting at unarmed civilians simply walking home, widely circulating online.
Protesters continue to utilize social media to coordinate and share guidelines for peaceful demonstration, emphasizing non-violence and the importance of remaining calm in the face of police actions. Stay tuned for more updates.
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