Kenya: One person killed as anti-governments protests turn bloody

Anti-government protests in Kenya turned bloody on Tuesday as one person was killed as police clashed with demonstrators demanding the resignation of  President William Ruto.

Youth-led nationwide protests that started a month ago against proposed tax hikes have continued even after Ruto withdrew the legislation and fired almost all of his cabinet.

Activists are demanding systemic changes to clean up corruption and address poor governance while calling on President Ruto to step down.

The government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said on Tuesday that at least 50 people have been killed in the protests to date.

A Reuters journalist witnessed the body of a protester lying on the ground, bleeding profusely from a head injury.

The national police spokesperson refused to comment on the incident. The protests on Tuesday seemed to be the largest since President Ruto announced the withdrawal of tax increases on June 26.

Reuters quoted The Nation newspaper, saying that the demonstrations took place in at least 23 counties out of Kenya’s 47.

In Nairobi’s central business district, riot police used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters, and an ambulance service shared footage on X of their team transporting an injured person on a stretcher.

Young Kenyan protesters have directed their outrage at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), blaming it for pushing the government to implement the controversial tax increases, which they see as burdensome and unfair.

One of the protesters expressed his rage, saying, “Ruto is very incompetent. He has no leadership skills. He just wanted the title of president of this country,” said one protester in Nairobi who did not give his name. “The guy is a puppet to the IMF. That is it. Whatever he’s doing, he’s doing for the IMF.”

The protests started peacefully but escalated into violence, with a group of demonstrators briefly storming parliament on June 25, prompting police to respond with gunfire. According to the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR), the unrest has resulted in 50 fatalities, 413 injuries, 682 arbitrary arrests, and 59 cases of abduction or disappearance.