Kenya protests: Police fire tear gas, water cannon at anti-tax demonstrators

Thousands of Kenyans, mostly young people, poured onto the streets of the capital of Nairobi on Thursday to protest new tax proposals introduced in the government’s annual budget legislation.

The demonstrations brought the central business district to a standstill as police threw tear gas cannisters and opened water cannons on protesters as they advanced toward the Parliament buildings.

The protesters are demanding legislators vote against the bill and the proposed tax changes, accusing Kenyan President William Ruto on pulling back on his pledge to reduce taxes and lower the cost of living.

Among the proposals in the budget are increased taxes on vegetable oil and fuel and a 2.75 per cent levy on income, with the money going toward the national medical insurance program.

Proposals to introduce a 16 per cent value-added tax on bread and an annual tax on automobiles were removed Tuesday after a meeting between Ruto and members of the ruling party. But protesters say those amendments don’t go far enough.

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