Protests in Kenya: President calls protests a ‘betrayal’ after police fired live ammunition at demonstrators

CNN
—

Kenya’s President William Ruto described the protests on Tuesday, in which parliament was stormed and at least five people were shot, as a “treasonous act.” However, he did not address the growing outrage over a controversial finance law that sparked the large demonstrations.

Kenya is currently in the grip of nationwide protests against planned tax increases. On Tuesday, they culminated in a “total shutdown” of the country, which quickly turned violent when police used tear gas and live ammunition against the protesters.

The controversial finance law has sparked a widespread protest movement calling for “7 days of anger.” Last week, the government rolled back some tax increases, including a planned 16% VAT on bread, as well as taxes on motor vehicles, vegetable oil and mobile money transfers. But the concessions were not enough to quell the protests amid rising living costs.

A CNN crew saw two motionless bodies lying on the ground in Nairobi as the country’s parliament was stormed. Kenyan police also beat and later arrested medics who were helping injured protesters.

In a national address after the parliament fire, Ruto said Tuesday’s events posed a serious threat to “national security” and that the debate over the bill had been “hijacked by dangerous people.”

“It is not permissible or even conceivable that criminals posing as peaceful protesters commit acts of terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions created by our Constitution and expect to get away with it,” the president said, adding that democratic expression and criminality must be separated.

Kenya’s defence ministry said the military had been deployed to support the country’s police force as human rights and civil society groups criticised the police crackdown on Tuesday.

At least five people were reportedly shot dead and around 31 injured during Tuesday’s protests, including 13 with live ammunition, four with rubber bullets and three with grenade launchers, according to a joint statement by Amnesty International Kenya, the Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group Kenya.

The joint statement also accused police of shooting at an emergency medical center inside a church. CNN has asked Kenyan police for comment.

“The use of live ammunition must stop now,” the statement said. “Despite government assurances to protect and facilitate the right to assembly, today’s protests have turned violent. Human rights monitors and doctors have reported several cases of human rights violations.”

The demonstrations were triggered by the Finance Act 2024. Under the motto “7 Days of Rage”, citizens gathered to jointly trigger the protests as the country faces further days of unrest.

In dramatic scenes in the country’s capital, government buildings were set on fire and a ceremonial mace was stolen from parliament in a scuffle. Kenyan lawmakers were evacuated from parliament as police cracked down on protesters, CNN affiliate NTV Kenya reported.

Internet monitoring site NetBlocks reported a “significant disruption” to internet connectivity on Tuesday.

Nairobi City Hall, the office of the governor of Nairobi, was also set on fire, as live images from CNN affiliate Citizen TV showed.

A fire could be seen burning through a window in the basement, and smoke was also coming out of other windows. According to Citizen TV, some people were seen removing furniture, including chairs, from the building.

Vehicles parked in front of Kenya’s Supreme Court, which is located near City Hall, were also set on fire.

Earlier on Tuesday, Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was tear-gassed by police during a live interview with CNN while protesting against the law.

“I can’t see anymore, we’re being tear gassed,” Obama said in dramatic footage shot by a CNN crew on the ground. Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, spoke to a group of young protesters on CNN as they were being tear gassed in Nairobi.

A spokesman for former President Obama declined to comment on the tear gas incident on Tuesday.

“I’m here because I need to see what’s happening here. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They’re demonstrating with flags and banners,” Obama said.

The security forces have also been accused of kidnapping prominent Kenyans, particularly those with large social media followings. Amnesty International Kenya says it is investigating the whereabouts of up to 12 people who were abducted “in the middle of the night” ahead of protests planned for Tuesday.

The list includes bloggers, content creators, human rights activists, a doctor and a parliamentary staffer, Irũngũ Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya, told CNN.

“We are appalled by some of the testimony we have heard over the last 24 hours. We are missing about 12 people who were picked up in many cases by uniformed or non-uniformed individuals,” Houghton said, adding that they had not received legal assistance and their families did not know their whereabouts.

“We are now seeing not only kidnappings but also disappearances,” he said.
CNN has contacted Kenyan police for comment.

Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga called on the government to “immediately stop the violence that its authorities are perpetrating against citizens.” In a statement on X, Odinga also called for the arrest of police officers who allegedly shot protesters and the immediate repeal of the country’s controversial finance law.

International heads of state and government called for calm on Tuesday.

The United Nations Secretary-General called on Kenya’s police and security forces to “exercise restraint,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday, adding that he was “deeply concerned about the reported violence we have witnessed.”

The African Union Commission called on all parties to refrain from further violence. In a statement, the body said its chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, “urged all parties to remain calm and refrain from further violence. The chairman also appealed to national stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue in the best interests of Kenya to resolve the contentious issues that have led to the protests.”

The protests come as Kenya’s status gains global prominence after US President Joe Biden designated the country a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday, the first time a sub-Saharan African country has been granted this status.

In May, Biden announced his decision to grant Kenya this status while hosting President Ruto on a major state visit to the White House to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hundreds of Kenyan police officers also arrived in the Haitian capital on Tuesday to lead a multinational mission to assist the Haitian National Police in the fight against deadly gangs that have taken control of large parts of Port-au-Prince.