NAIROBI — In a sweeping wave of unrest, hundreds of antigovernment protesters took to the streets of Kenya on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of embattled President William Ruto.
The demonstrations, which spread from the capital, Nairobi, to the southern coastal city of Mombasa, mark the latest in a series of protests triggered by government-planned tax hikes that sparked widespread anger in mid-June.
The protests were met with a heavy police presence. In Nairobi’s city center, officers fired tear gas extensively in an effort to disperse the crowds.
In Kitengala, a town near Nairobi, approximately 200 protesters set tires ablaze and chanted slogans calling for President Ruto to step down.
Reuters reported that at least one person was killed in Kitengala, according to a witness account.
Meanwhile, in Mombasa, demonstrators marched through the streets waving palm fronds, as captured in footage by Kenyan media.
The protesters’ grievances stem from deep-seated frustrations over stagnant wages and pervasive corruption, which many believe has worsened under Ruto’s administration. The proposed $2.7 billion tax hikes, which Ruto has since scrapped in response to the initial protests, were seen as the final straw.
Activists are now calling for a “total shutdown” of the country, undeterred by the government’s concessions. They argue that the tax plan was merely symptomatic of broader issues plaguing the nation.
The protests, which began peacefully last month, quickly escalated into violent confrontations. Demonstrators have, at times, stormed parliament, and police have opened fire on crowds.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reports that more than 50 people have been killed since the protests began, with accusations of police using excessive force becoming increasingly prominent.
As tensions continue to mount, the future of President Ruto’s administration hangs in the balance, with protesters vowing to sustain their pressure until their demands are met.
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