we explain to you the situation in the country plunged into political chaos, “violence and anarchy”

Kenyan protesters, who oppose a proposed new tax, entered Parliament in Nairobi on Tuesday before police regained control of the building using live ammunition.

At least thirteen people died on Tuesday June 25 during a demonstration in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, according to a report from the NGO Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). The country has been shaken for several days by a wave of protests in response to a draft budget providing for the introduction of new taxes. On Tuesday, while the project was being debated in Parliament, demonstrators entered the building. Franceinfo takes stock of the situation after these deadly demonstrations.

New unpopular taxes on bread and private vehicles

This is the text which provoked the anger of part of the population. The draft budget for the year 2024-2025 examined by the Kenyan Parliament provides forthe introduction of new taxes, including a 16% VAT on bread and an annual tax of 2.5% on private vehicles. According to the government, these taxes are necessary to restore room for maneuver to the country, which is heavily in debt. But for the demonstrators who oppose this project, these new taxes are unbearable.

Faced with protests, the Kenyan government already announced on June 18 that it would withdraw most of the unpopular measures. An unsatisfied response as demonstrators demand the complete withdrawal of the text and the movement has transformed into a broader challenge to President Ruto’s policies. With or without new taxes, the budget text must be voted on by June 30.

A movement launched on social networks

These demonstrations, called “Occupy Parliament”, were launched on social networks shortly after the presentation of the draft budget to Parliament on June 13. In these demonstrations, many young Kenyans are present to show their opposition to the government of President William Ruto and to denounce the cost of living, unemployment, and the non-existence of public services. “Ruto must go”chant the demonstrators, reports RFI in particular.

For the moment, the internet network has not been cut in Kenya, but it was severely disrupted on Tuesday, reports NetBlocks, a telecommunications network monitoring organization. Authorities said Monday they would not block the internet.

At least 13 dead, 31 injured and dozens of arrests, according to NGOs

“So far we have at least 13 people killed, but this is not the final figure”Simon Kigondu, president of the Kenya Medical Association, the main professional association of doctors in Kenya, said on Wednesday. “We have never seen this before. We saw violence in 2007 following the elections, but never this level of violence against unarmed people.”adds the doctor. Saccording to the NGO Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), 31 other demonstrators were injured on Tuesday in Nairobi.

“Despite assurances from the government that the right to assemble would be protected and facilitated, today’s protests have degenerated into violence”deplore several NGOs in a press release, including Amnesty Kenya. These NGOs also claim to have noted 21 “kidnappings” of people by “uniformed or plainclothes officers” in the last 24 hours. At least 52 people were also arrested, according to the same source.

After initial clashes with police on Tuesday at midday, protesters entered the parliament. The police regained control of the premises after a few dozen minutes, using live ammunition. Television images showed rooms ransacked, tables overturned, windows broken and smoking furniture strewn across the gardens. Before Tuesday, this mobilization had already been marked by the death of two people in Nairobi, according to the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the independent police monitoring authority which mentions “supposedly a police shooting”at AFP.

The army has been mobilized since Tuesday

Following clashes between police and protesters on Tuesday, Kenyan President William Ruto spoke out and pledged to firmly crack down on the “violence and anarchy”. “We will provide a comprehensive, effective and rapid response to today’s treasonous events”said William Ruto, saying the protests had been “hijacked by dangerous people”.

“It is not normal, or even conceivable, that criminals posing as peaceful demonstrators can unleash a reign of terror against the people, their elected representatives and the institutions established by our constitution, and expect not to be worried”added the president.

Defense Minister Aden Bare also announced in the evening that he had appealed to the army to support the police “in response to the security emergency” and to these “destruction and intrusion into crucial infrastructure”.

The United States is “monitoring the situation”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “deeply concerned” by violence and “very saddened” by the deaths and injuries reported, said its spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. The head of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed his “deep concern” and called on the country to “show calm and refrain from further violence”.

The United States and more than a dozen European countries said “deeply concerned” by the Kenyan situation and called for calm. In a joint statement from their diplomatic representations, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Romania, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the United States particularly deplore deaths and injuries from firearms. “The United States is closely monitoring the situation in Nairobi”added the White House.