Kenyan President urged to reconsider financial bill after violent protests

New Delhi: Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko on Wednesday urged President William Ruto to reconsider signing the finance bill, as violent protests broke out in Kenya killing at least 22 protesters and injuring over 160 others.

Sonko urged the President to think about the people of the nation and "send the financial bill back to the sender", Al Zajeera reported.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Chairwoman, Roseline Odede, said the organisation has recorded 22 deaths, including 19 of those who stormed the Parliament and got killed in the police firing.

Additionally, Odede mentioned that at least 160 people were injured and undergoing treatment.

According to the Kenyan police, more than 700 blank rounds were fired by them to resist protesters in the capital city overnight.

Earlier, President Ruto termed Tuesday's street protests against proposed tax hikes in the East African nation as "treasonous," noting that his government will soon provide an expeditious response to the situation.

In his televised address to the nation, Ruto said the government has mobilised all its resources to ensure the situation does not occur again "at whatever cost."

The lawmakers on Tuesday morning passed the contentious finance bill 2024, seeking to raise an additional 346.7 billion shillings ($2.67 billion), by such measures as increasing the railway development levy from 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent and the import declaration fee from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

The legislators also imposed an eco-levy on imported items like smartphones and electronics, noting they end up as electronic waste damaging the environment. Ruto, who won the elections in August 2022 on the platform of helping the poor, has been under pressure to raise additional revenues in the country amid rising government debt repayments.

The finance bill was thus amended to remove the proposed 16 per cent VAT on bread, transportation of sugar, financial services, foreign exchange transactions, and the 2.5 per cent motor vehicle tax.

Amid the violent protests in the East African nation, Indian citizens in Kenya were advised to exercise utmost caution and restrict non-essential movement."

In view of the prevailing tense situation, all Indians in Kenya are advised to exercise utmost caution, restrict non-essential movement and avoid the areas affected by the protests and violence till the situation clears up," the Indian consulate in Kenya said in an advisory posted on social media platform X.

"Please follow local news and Mission's website and social media handles for updates," it added.