(Nairobi) A 21-year-old protester died after being hit by a tear gas canister during protests in Kenya this week, becoming the second victim of the youth-led movement, according to a member of the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
Led largely by young Kenyans, the rallies against a proposed new tax began at the start of the week in the capital Nairobi, before spreading on Thursday to numerous cities in this country, the economic powerhouse of East Africa. .
The movement called “Occupy Parliament”, launched on social networks, outside any political framework, strongly mobilizes young people, who demand the withdrawal of the finance bill from the government of President William Ruto.
Thursday’s protests were generally peaceful, but police used tear gas and water cannons to try to keep protesters away from Parliament.
PHOTO LUIS TATO, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Kenyan police officer fires tear gas grenade
According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Evans Kiratu, 21, was “hit by a tear gas canister” during the protests.
“He was rushed to the hospital around 6 p.m. (11 a.m. Eastern) on Thursday […] and he died there,” Ernest Cornel, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission, told AFP.
“It is tragic that a young person could lose their life simply by campaigning against the high cost of living,” he added.
The victim’s aunt told Citizen TV that her nephew died in hospital before she could see him. “We demand justice for my nephew,” she said.
The rallies began on Tuesday in Nairobi before spreading across the country. A national strike call has been launched for June 25.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) reported having “documented the death” of another man, aged 29, “allegedly resulting from a police shooting” after Thursday’s protests in Nairobi.
According to a police report seen by AFP, a 29-year-old man was brought to a Nairobi hospital at 7 p.m. (12 p.m. Eastern) on Thursday “unconscious with an injury to his thigh,” before “ succumb to his injuries.
PHOTO TONY KARUMBA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Demonstration in Nairobi, June 20
Several NGOs, including Amnesty International Kenya, said at least 200 people were injured during Thursday’s protests in Nairobi.
The draft budget is currently under debate in Parliament, with a view to a final vote before June 30.
After an initial mobilization which brought together hundreds of people in Nairobi on Tuesday, the government reversed most of the provisions of the draft budget, notably the establishment of a 16% VAT on bread or a tax on private cars.
But the demonstrators also denounce the government’s desire to compensate for the announced withdrawal of taxes with other fiscal measures (increase in taxes on fuel and exported products in particular).
This risks, according to them, reducing their purchasing power, already burdened by last year’s increases in income tax and health contributions and the doubling of VAT on gasoline.
For the government, these tax measures are necessary to restore room for maneuver to the country, which is heavily in debt.
Kenya, one of East Africa’s fastest growing economies, recorded year-on-year inflation of 5.1% in May, with food and fuel prices rising by 6.2% respectively. % and 7.8%, according to the Central Bank.
A third of its 51.5 million inhabitants live below the poverty line.