Nairobi. The Indian government has issued an advisory for its citizens, advising them to exercise “extreme caution” after violence erupted in an East African country. In fact, chaos has spread in Kenya’s capital Nairobi after police used tear gas and water cannon to control the crowd that took to the streets to protest against the proposed tax hike. Several NGOs, including Amnesty Kenya, said in a joint statement that five people were shot dead and 31 injured in the deadly crackdown that shook Kenya.
Protesters had been largely peaceful last week, but clashes broke out in Nairobi on Tuesday, with crowds pelting police with stones, breaking barricades and forcing their way into the parliament complex. The agitation turned so violent that thousands of protesters who entered the complex set fire to a section of the parliament building, forcing lawmakers to evacuate it. In retaliation, Kenyan police opened fire and fired rubber bullets.
Where did the fight start?
The protests began after lawmakers voted on a finance bill offering new taxes, including an ‘eco-levy’ that would raise the price of items such as sanitary pads and diapers. The bill aims to raise taxes by an additional $2.7 billion in an effort to reduce the burden of a massive debt, with interest payments alone costing 37 percent of annual revenue. Proposals to tax bread, cooking oil, car ownership and financial transactions were dropped following public outrage, but protesters are still calling on parliament not to pass the bill.
The protesters have also called on William Ruto to step down as president. The largely peaceful protests over the past few days turned violent on Tuesday when people marched in the streets of the coastal city of Mombasa, a port city on Lake Victoria, and other cities. The discontent over the bill has become a headache for the government which has failed to convince its citizens.
Kenya’s president promises action
President William Ruto vowed to take strong action against “violence and lawlessness” after a protest against a tax hike turned into mass chaos. “We will take full, effective and immediate action on today’s seditious incidents,” Ruto was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. He said the protests had been “taken over by dangerous people”.
Indian citizens were asked to exercise ‘extra caution’
The Indian High Commission in Kenya on Tuesday advised Indian nationals to exercise “extreme caution” in view of the “tense” situation arising out of violent protests in the African nation. “In view of the prevailing tense situation, all Indians in Kenya are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict non-essential movement and stay away from protest and violence affected areas until the situation normalises,” the Indian High Commission said in an advisory. According to an official estimate, around 20,000 Indians are currently living in Kenya.
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 26, 2024, 17:19 IST