NAIROBI: Police fired on demonstrators trying to storm Kenya’s legislature on Tuesday and at least five protesters were shot dead, with sections of the parliament building set ablaze as lawmakers inside passed a bill to raise taxes.

In chaotic scenes, protesters overwhelmed police and chased them away in an attempt to storm the parliament compound, with Citizen TV reporting protesters had managed to enter the Senate chamber.

Police opened fire after tear gas and water cannon failed to disperse the crowds. A journalist counted the bodies of at least five protesters outside parliament. A paramedic, Vivian Achista, said at least 10 had been shot dead.

Another paramedic, Richard Ngumo, said more than 50 people had been wounded by gunfire. He was lifting two injured protesters into an ambulance outside parliament.

Former US president Obama’s half-sister hit with tear gas

“We want to shut down parliament and every MP should go down and resign,” protester Davis Tafari, who was trying to enter parliament, said. “We will have a new government.”

Kenyan activist Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US president Barack Obama, was among protesters tear-gassed during the demonstrations, a CNN interview showed.

Police eventually managed to drive the protesters from the building amid clouds of tear gas and the sound of gunfire. The lawmakers were evacuated through underground tunnels, local media reported.

Auma Obama was taken aside in the melee by a CNN reporter and asked why she was there. “I’m here because — look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They’re demonstrating with flags and banners. I can’t even see anymore,” she said, beginning to cough and shield her eyes from the spreading smoke. “We are being tear-gassed.”

A man behind her carried a sign reading, “Colonialism never ended in Kenya,” while another yelled, “This is our country. This is our nation.” Auma Obama earlier posted photos of herself on Twitter at the protest. The office of former president Obama said it had no immediate comment on the incident involving Auma Obama or the violence in Kenya.

In Washington, the White House said the United States was closely monitoring the situation in Nairobi and urging calm.

Ambassadors and high commissioners from countries including Britain, the US and Germany said in a joint statement they were deeply concerned by violence they had witnessed during recent anti-tax protests and called for restraint on all sides.

Internet services across the East African country experienced severe disruptions during the police crackdown, internet monitor Netblocks said. Kenya’s leading network operator Safaricom said outages had affected two of its undersea cables but the root cause of the disruptions remained unclear.

Protests and clashes also took place in several other cities and towns across Kenya, with many calling for President William Ruto to quit office as well as voicing their opposition to the tax rises.

Parliament approved the finance bill, moving it through to a third reading by lawmakers.

The next step is for the legislation to be sent to the president for signing. He can send it back to parliament if he has any objections.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2024