At least 30 people have died in Kenya during protests against a bill to raise taxes, human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
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Earlier, local publication Citizen reported that at least 40 police officers in Kenya’s Central Province were injured as a result of the protests.
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The human rights organization claims that on June 25, security forces fired directly into a crowd of demonstrators, including those who tried to flee.
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“On June 25, protesters gathered in cities and towns across the country, including outside Parliament in Nairobi. In the afternoon… police opened fire on protesters in and around Parliament… Although the exact death toll in Nairobi and other cities has not been confirmed “Human Rights Watch has determined that at least 30 people were killed that day,” the statement said on its website, citing eyewitness accounts, publicly available information and hospital and morgue reports.
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A new wave of protests in Kenya over government plans to increase taxes on a number of goods and services began in mid-June. Later, Agence France-Presse reported that amendments were made to the draft budget, according to which the introduction of a 16 percent value added tax on the purchase of bread, the transportation of sugar, the use of mobile and financial services, transactions with foreign currency, as well as the introduction of a tax of 2.5 % on motor vehicles and excise tax on vegetable oil. Kenyan President William Ruto announced the government’s readiness to begin a dialogue with the protesters. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. Ruto on Wednesday said he would not sign the budget bill, which has sparked widespread protests in the country.
