Kenya plunges into chaos as protests turn deadly, parliament building burns

Kenya is in a state of shock on Wednesday following unprecedented scenes that left parts of its parliament ablaze and gutted, as protests over proposed tax hikes turned deadly.

The chaos prompted President William Ruto’s government to deploy the military to restore order.

A heavy police presence was deployed around parliament on Wednesday morning. The smell of tear gas lingered in the air.

The mainly youth-led rallies began peacefully last week, with thousands of demonstrators marching in the capital Nairobi and across the country against the proposed tax increases. However, tensions escalated sharply on Tuesday afternoon.

Police officers fired live rounds on crowds that later ransacked the parliament complex.
Rights groups reported five deaths and over 30 injuries due to the violence.
In response to the escalating crisis, Defense Minister Aden Bare Duale announced that the government had deployed the army to support the police in addressing “the security emergency” in the country.

During a late-night press briefing, President Ruto warned that his government would take a tough stance against “violence and anarchy,” comparing some of the demonstrators to “criminals.” He stated, “It is not in order or even conceivable that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives, and the institutions established under our constitution and expect to go scot-free.”

The government has been caught off guard by the intensity of opposition to its tax proposals, mostly led by young, Gen-Z Kenyans. This culminated in the shocking scenes at parliament, which played out live on television. Images shared on local TV stations showed the building ransacked, with burnt furniture and smashed windows.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission reported that at least one protester had been shot by police. A joint statement by rights groups, including Amnesty International’s Kenya chapter, confirmed that police had shot dead five people.

The unrest has alarmed the international community. The White House appealed for calm, and more than 10 Western nations, including Canada, Germany, and Britain, expressed their shock at the scenes outside the Kenyan Parliament.

The head of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed “deep concern” over the loss of life and urged all stakeholders to exercise calm and refrain from further violence.

Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, who heads the Azimio coalition, accused the government of unleashing “brute force on our country’s children.” He said, “Kenya cannot afford to kill its children just because the children are asking for food, jobs, and a listening ear.”

Rights watchdogs have also accused the authorities of abducting protesters.