Ten (10) protesters were believed to have died and many others sustained various degrees of injuries following shooting by police as protest rocked Kenyan capital Nairobi.
A rights watchdog group said the demonstrators were angry over proposed tax hikes breached barricades and entered the parliamentary complex, where a fire erupted.
The protest started as a result of high cost of living.
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There have been reports of police brutality and violence against protesters in Kenya, including the use of live ammunition and tear gas, GLOBAL TRACKER learned.
The protests, led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, have been met with a heavy-handed response from the police, resulting in injuries and fatalities.
The Kenyan government has been criticized for its handling of the protests, with human rights groups and opposition leaders calling for restraint and an end to police brutality. The situation remains tense, with ongoing protests and a growing call for reform and accountability.
Human rights groups and international organizations have condemned police brutality.
The right group has urged Kenyan government to address the underlying issues driving the protests.
A number of police vehicles and part of the parliament building itself were set on fire.
The police used tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition against the demonstrators, who are protesting against a new tax law in the East African country.
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According to the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, one demonstrator was fatally shot and at least three people suffered gunshot wounds.
The protests began in a peaceful manner. However, the atmosphere became increasingly heated after the police crackdown. During the storming of parliament, hundreds of demonstrators continued to remain outside peacefully.
The third reading of the controversial tax law was taking place in parliament at the time. A majority of parliament members voted in favour of the law in principle last week.
Many people in Kenya fear that the law will further increase the cost of living.
Aljazeera correspondent Malcolm Webb reporting Nairobi said “We’re just outside the parliament building in central Nairobi.
“There are the burning remains of a roadblock and beyond it, demonstrators are shouting.
“Around us, we can see groups of uniformed police some carrying weapons for tear gas – of which a lot has been fired – as well as many plainclothes security operators carrying guns.
“We saw some of them earlier shooting into the crowds.
“And just a short while ago, on the street, just outside parliament, was the body of a young man who was carrying a Kenyan flag.
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“He had a bullet hole right in the centre of his forehead. His brains were spilled on the pavement.
“Demonstrators are now chanting, and we’ve got a banner there that says, “Enough is enough.”
“This is about ostensibly rejecting the Finance bill, which is meant to increase taxes.
“The sentiment among protesters is that they’re not accepting that from a government that’s widely seen to be deeply corrupt.
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Meanwhile, Kenyan Red Cross has announced on their social media handle X that their vehicle was attacked.
“Our vehicles have been attacked. Staff and volunteers injured,” the Kenya Red Cross posted on X.
The group said its staff and volunteers have been targeted as they put their lives in danger to provide critical medical care to those in need.
“We have no contact or role in transporting persons other than the injured,” it said.
In the same vein, local media shared video footage of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund building on fire in Kikuyu constituency, and the governing party’s offices set ablaze in Embu.