Kenya shocked as protests over finance bill turn deadly in Nairobi

Clashes also took place in other cities and towns, with many calling for President Ruto to quit.

Kenya is in a state of shock following unprecedented scenes that left parts of Parliament ablaze as protests over a finance bill recommending tax hikes turned deadly, prompting President William Ruto’s government to deploy the military.

The mainly youth-led rallies began largely peacefully last week, with thousands of demonstrators marching in the capital, Nairobi, and across the country against the tax increases.

Lawmakers voted to pass the contentious finance bill amid rising unrest over the cost-of-living crisis in the country.

Tensions flared on Tuesday as police officers fired live rounds on crowds who later breached the Parliament building in Nairobi, with rights groups, including the Kenya Medical Association, saying five people were killed in the violence and more than 30 injured.

Hours later, Defence Minister Aden Bare Duale announced that the government had deployed the army to support the police in tackling “the security emergency” in the country.