NAIROBI [Kenya]: More than 200 protesters were arrested in Kenya's capital Nairobi on Tuesday amid ongoing demonstrations against tax hikes proposed in a finance bill up for parliamentary debate, The New York Times reported.
Protesters wearing black T-shirts and blowing whistles and vuvuzelas marched towards Parliament, sparking anger online through hashtags and videos on TikTok.
According to The New York Times, lawmakers have also been flooded with phone calls and text messages pressuring them to reject the bill.
Businesses closed their doors in the central business district as police dispersed protesters and sirens blared through the streets.
Amid citywide protests, the government announced that it would cancel some new taxes, including those on bread.Opposition MPs criticized the move, calling it a mere "PR exercise".
The uproar over the revenue-raising law represents one of the sharpest reactions against President William Ruto's government. According to The New York Times, Ruto was elected in 2022 and campaigned on a platform of improving the living standards of the poor.
The protests began just weeks after President Ruto returned from a state visit to the United States, where he signed a number of investment and development agreements with the Biden administration aimed at reducing debt and promoting long-term growth.
The anger over the tax measures in Kenya reflects broader challenges facing African economies, where unemployment and rising food and fuel prices have made life difficult for many, especially the youth."The frustration is building and now it's escalating," said community activist Hanifa Adan, one of the organizers of the protest.
"We are calling and texting our lawmakers to let them know that your loyalty is to us, the voters, and we say no to this bill," he said. Adan said in a post on social media that police had arrested him just before the protests began on Tuesday.
The bill, which was first introduced in Parliament last month, introduces new taxes and levies that will increase the price of goods such as bread, diapers and cars.
It increases import duties on goods and increases taxes on telephone and internet data as well as money transfer fees charged by banks and other financial services. It also increases taxes for companies and operators of digital businesses such as ride-hailing and food-delivery services.On Tuesday, Ruto's parliamentary coalition, which holds the majority in the National Assembly, announced that some measures, including a tax on bread and an excise duty on vegetable oil, had been dropped.
“We have heard you,” Kimani Ichungwah, the parliament majority leader, told a news conference. "We've heard you."
However, reversing some of the measures did not calm protesters on the streets of Nairobi. They raised slogans, "Down with the Finance Bill," and "A united people can never be defeated.",
Opposition members of Parliament said they would not support the bill. The debate on the proposal is starting from Wednesday.
Protesters wearing black T-shirts and blowing whistles and vuvuzelas marched towards Parliament, sparking anger online through hashtags and videos on TikTok.
According to The New York Times, lawmakers have also been flooded with phone calls and text messages pressuring them to reject the bill.
Businesses closed their doors in the central business district as police dispersed protesters and sirens blared through the streets.
Amid citywide protests, the government announced that it would cancel some new taxes, including those on bread.Opposition MPs criticized the move, calling it a mere "PR exercise".
The uproar over the revenue-raising law represents one of the sharpest reactions against President William Ruto's government. According to The New York Times, Ruto was elected in 2022 and campaigned on a platform of improving the living standards of the poor.
The protests began just weeks after President Ruto returned from a state visit to the United States, where he signed a number of investment and development agreements with the Biden administration aimed at reducing debt and promoting long-term growth.
The anger over the tax measures in Kenya reflects broader challenges facing African economies, where unemployment and rising food and fuel prices have made life difficult for many, especially the youth."The frustration is building and now it's escalating," said community activist Hanifa Adan, one of the organizers of the protest.
"We are calling and texting our lawmakers to let them know that your loyalty is to us, the voters, and we say no to this bill," he said. Adan said in a post on social media that police had arrested him just before the protests began on Tuesday.
The bill, which was first introduced in Parliament last month, introduces new taxes and levies that will increase the price of goods such as bread, diapers and cars.
It increases import duties on goods and increases taxes on telephone and internet data as well as money transfer fees charged by banks and other financial services. It also increases taxes for companies and operators of digital businesses such as ride-hailing and food-delivery services.On Tuesday, Ruto's parliamentary coalition, which holds the majority in the National Assembly, announced that some measures, including a tax on bread and an excise duty on vegetable oil, had been dropped.
“We have heard you,” Kimani Ichungwah, the parliament majority leader, told a news conference. "We've heard you."
However, reversing some of the measures did not calm protesters on the streets of Nairobi. They raised slogans, "Down with the Finance Bill," and "A united people can never be defeated.",
Opposition members of Parliament said they would not support the bill. The debate on the proposal is starting from Wednesday.
