Protesters invade Kenyan parliament, five killed, 31 wounded

An NGO reported that during Tuesday’s rallies in Kenya against proposed tax hikes, five people were shot dead and thirty-one injured.

“While tending to the injured, at least five persons have been shot and killed. Thirty-one persons were hurt, according to a statement from the Kenya Medical Association.

A rights group reported that on Tuesday, protesters against proposed tax hikes broke over barricades to access the legislative complex, where a fire broke out. Three individuals were seen lying motionless on the ground, and Kenyan police reportedly shot and killed one demonstrator near the parliament.

President William Ruto stated over the weekend that he was prepared to speak with the demonstrators, demonstrating how the mostly Gen-Z-led protests, which started last week, have taken the administration by surprise.

But tensions sharply escalated on Tuesday afternoon, as crowds began to throw stones at police and push back against barricades, making their way towards the parliament complex, which was sealed off by police in full riot gear.

Police fired at crowds massing outside the parliament building, where lawmakers had been debating a contentious bill featuring tax hike proposals.

“Police have shot four protesters, as witnessed by KHRC, killing one,” the Kenya Human Rights Commission said in a statement on X.

Shortly before, Irungu Houghton, the executive director of Amnesty International Kenya, told AFP that “human rights observers are now reporting the increasing use of live bullets by the National Police Service in the capital of Nairobi”.

“Safe passage for medical officers to treat the many wounded is now urgent,” he said.

Anger over a cost-of-living crisis spiralled into nationwide rallies last week, with demonstrators calling for the finance bill to be scrapped.

Despite a heavy police presence, thousands of protesters had earlier marched through Nairobi’s business district, pushing back against barricades as they headed towards parliament.

Police in full riot gear were firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, according to AFP journalists.

As protesters gained ground in their push towards parliament, many were livestreaming the action earlier in the day as they sang, chanted and beat drums.

Crowds also marched in the port city of Mombasa, the opposition bastion of Kisumu, and Ruto’s stronghold of Eldoret, images on Kenyan TV channels showed.