Official parliamentary records or public statement

Kenya Protests Escalate as Two Gen Z Protesters Die in Nairobi Anti-Finance Bill Demonstrations

Jun 22, 2024, 12:15 PM

Protests in Kenya against the proposed Finance Bill 2024 have intensified following the deaths of two protesters, Rex Masai and Evans Kiratu. Masai was shot dead by police during demonstrations in Nairobi County along Moi Avenue, while Kiratu succumbed to injuries from a tear gas canister at Kenyatta National Hospital. The protests, led predominantly by Gen Z, are in response to new taxes proposed by President William Ruto's government, including a 16% levy on bread, aimed at reducing the national debt of nearly $80 billion. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched a probe into Masai's death. Azimio leaders have called for the resignation of Inspector General Japheth Koome and Nairobi Commander Adamson Bungei over the handling of the protests. The government faces mounting pressure as demonstrations spread across at least 19 towns in Kenya, with protesters demanding the complete rejection of the Finance Bill. Masai's mother claimed police watched her son bleed and said, 'wacha akufe'.