Kenyan protesters have pledged to continue their demonstrations against new tax increases following deadly clashes outside parliament.
At least five people were killed as police fired on crowds attempting to storm the parliament building in Nairobi. Amid heightened security with armed police patrolling the capital, Nairobi, supporters of the movement have taken to social media, rallying under the hashtag #tutanethursday, signaling their intent to gather again on Thursday.
The protest movement, lacking formal leadership, has organized primarily through social media channels. President William Ruto denounced the violence, attributing the attack on parliament to “criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters” in a televised address.
Despite a government order deploying the army to assist police in managing the “security emergency,” there were no reports of troops on Nairobi’s streets on Wednesday.
Last week, protesters had planned occupations of parliament on Tuesday and State House on Thursday, reflecting ongoing discontent over the tax hikes.
Ruto, elected on a platform supporting Kenya’s working poor, faces pressure from international lenders like the International Monetary Fund to reduce deficits, while attempting to meet the needs of a financially strained population.
Recent adjustments to the finance bill saw some tax increases removed, but others were introduced to bridge budget gaps.