Fires raze at Kenyan parliament as protests rage against tax hikes

Fires broke out in the Kenyan parliament complex Tuesday as police clashed with protesters who stormed the buildings after lawmakers passed a series of highly controversial tax increases.
Police fired live ammunition outside parliament after tear gas and rubber bullets failed to disperse the thousands of demonstrators. Reporters for the Associated Press and Reuters say they saw bodies on the ground outside the buildings.
Protesters had gathered near parliament in Nairobi to demand that lawmakers vote against new taxes in the Finance Bill 2024. However, the bill was approved on a 195 to 106 vote. It now goes to President William Ruto to sign into law, reports VOA.
After the vote, lawmakers fled the parliament complex as hundreds of protesters broke through police barricades and rushed inside.
Kenya has seen a growing youth-led movement in recent days against the tax increases, which the government says are necessary to continue to pay the interest on its high sovereign debt.
The protests have largely been peaceful, but domestic and international human rights groups say two people were killed during demonstrations last week, while accusing police of illegally detaining protesters.
Lawmakers have scrapped some proposed increases from the measure, including new taxes on bread, car ownership and financial transactions. The finance ministry says the changes to the proposed taxes will create a $1.5 billion budget shortfall.
Demonstrations against the finance bill were also staged Tuesday in the southeastern port city of Mombasa and the western city of Kisumu.