Riots according to Kenyan humanitarian organizations claimed at least 23 lives and injured another 300 people.
“It will be withdrawn,” Ruto told reporters in Nairobi today about the controversial law. He added that step by step “respects the loud message coming from Kenyans”.
Many people in Kenya do feared further financial burdens and a significant increase in the cost of living as a result of the tax reform, with which the government wanted to obtain funds to repay the debt.
Without elaborating, Ruto promised that now will start a dialogue with Kenyan youth and will work on austerity measures and cuts in the budget of the presidential office, to offset the slump in the country’s finances. According to Reuters, while Ruto has averted the immediate threat of further unrest, he still faces conflicting demands from citizens and creditors such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is urging the government to reduce the deficit and raise more funds.
Rute’s announcement however will be seen as a major victory for the week-old protest movement that has grown from online condemnations of higher taxes into mass rallies demanding political reform and in the most serious crisis of Ruto’s two-year presidency.
The chaos on Tuesday led the Kenyan government to deploy the army, a move that will be considered by the country’s highest court on Thursday. Ruto initially described the protesters’ actions as “treasonous”. It was the biggest attack on the Kenyan government in decades.
The police fired blanks
Thousands of disgruntled people stormed the parliament building in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon after the House passed the disputed tax bill and advanced it to third reading. Protesters set a part of the parliament on fire, the police on the spot shot, used tear gas and water cannons.
The police announced that the night of today in the suburbs of Nairobi fired blanks to disperse the protesters. However, social media posts claim that security forces used live ammunition and some people did not survive the attack.
The White House today condemned the violence in Kenya. “We continue to call for restraint so that Kenyans are not put in danger in exercising their right to peaceful public assembly,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby.
