At least 30 killed in Kenya anti-government protests – Human Rights Watch

Family, friends and fellow protesters carry the body of Ibrahim Kamau, 19, in a procession as they chant slogans to show their respects in the streets of Nairobi on 28 June 2024. Hundreds of people attended the funeral ceremony of Ibrahim Kamau, 19, who was one of the protesters killed at the Kenyan Parliament during the nationwide deadly protest against a controversial now-withdrawn tax bill that left dozens dead and shocked the East African nation. (Tony Karumba / AFP)

• At least 30 people were killed in Kenya during
  anti-government protests triggered by significant tax increases.
• Human Rights Watch reported that security forces fired
  directly into crowds.
• The protests led to the withdrawal of the tax bill by
  President William Ruto’s administration.

At least 30
people died in protests in Kenya this week sparked by a government drive to
substantially raise taxes in the East African country, Human Rights Watch said
Saturday.

“Kenyan
security forces shot directly into crowds of protesters on (Tuesday) 25 June
2024, including protesters who were fleeing,” the NGO said in a statement.

“Although
there is no confirmation on the exact number of people killed in Nairobi and
other towns, Human Rights Watch found that at least 30 people had been killed
on that day based on witness accounts, publicly available information, hospital
and mortuary records in Nairobi as well as witness accounts,” the
statement said.

“Shooting
directly into crowds without justification, including as protesters try to
flee, is completely unacceptable under Kenyan and international law,” said
Otsieno Namwaya, associate Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

“The
Kenyan authorities need to make clear to their forces that they should be
protecting peaceful protesters and that impunity for police violence can no
longer be tolerated,” Namwaya added.

A Kenyan policeman fires a stun grenade at protestors at a planned demonstration called after a nationwide deadly protest against a controversial now-withdrawn tax bill left over 20 dead in downtown Nairobi on 27 June 2024. (Kabir Dhanji / AFP)

AFP

The largely
peaceful rallies turned violent on Tuesday when lawmakers passed the deeply
unpopular tax increases following pressure from the International Monetary Fund
(IMF).

After the
announcement of the vote, crowds stormed the parliament complex and a fire
broke out in clashes unprecedented in the history of the country since its
independence from Britain in 1963.

President
William Ruto’s administration ultimately withdrew the bill.

IMF pressure

The
state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said it had recorded 22
deaths and 300 injured victims, adding it would open an investigation.

“Eight
military officers came out and just opened fire on people. They killed several
people, including those who were not part of the protests,” HRW quoted a
rights activist in Nairobi as saying.

“Kenya’s
international partners should continue to actively monitor the situation… and
further urge Kenyan authorities to speedily but credibly and transparently
investigate abuses by the security forces,” the rights watchdog said.

A protester with a rubber bullet injury on his forehead holds stones amid a cloud of tear gas after Kenya Police officers stopped a planned demonstration called after a nationwide deadly protest against a controversial now-withdrawn tax bill left over 20 dead in downtown Nairobi on 27 June 2024. (Luis Tato/AFP)

AFP

Ruto had
already rolled back some tax measures after the protests began, prompting the
treasury to warn of a gaping budget shortfall of 200 billion shillings ($1.6
billion).

The
cash-strapped government had previously said that the increases were necessary
to service Kenya’s massive debt of some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion),
which is equal to roughly 70 percent of GDP.

The
Washington-based IMF has urged the country to implement fiscal reforms in order
to access crucial funding from the international lender.

READ | Hundreds attend funeral of Ibrahim Kamau, 19, killed in Kenya’s anti-tax protests

“The
bill was expected to raise an additional $2.3 billion in the next fiscal year,
in part to meet IMF requirements to increase revenues,” HRW said.

“Widespread
outrage should be a wake-up call to the Kenyan government and the IMF that they
cannot sacrifice rights in the name of economic recovery,” Namwaya said.

“Economic
sustainability can only be achieved by building a new social contract that
raises revenues fairly, manages them responsibly, and funds services and
programs that protect everyone’s rights.”