Nairobi

Kenya state-backed rights body says 22 killed in Tuesday protests

Twenty-two people were killed in Tuesday's protests in Kenya, a state-funded rights organisation said, vowing an investigation into what it described as "the largest number of deaths (in) a single day protest." "We have recorded 22 deaths... we are going to launch an inquiry," said Roseline Odede, chairwoman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, adding that 19 people had died in the capital Nairobi, where […]

26 June, 2024

Africa

What’s next after Kenya’s deadly protests?

By Rose TROUP BUCHANAN, Simon VALMARY After an unprecedented day of chaos and deadly violence, Kenya finds itself plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday, with lawmakers due to vote this week on deeply unpopular tax hikes that have sparked widespread protests. How did East Africa's economic powerhouse get to this point and what happens now? Tuesday's national strike against proposed tax hikes began peacefully, with […]

26 June, 2024

Africa

‘Shaken to the core’: Kenya shocked as protests turn deadly

By Dylan GAMBA, Rose TROUP BUCHANAN Kenya was in a state of shock Wednesday following unprecedented scenes that left parts of parliament ablaze and gutted, as protests over proposed tax hikes turned deadly, prompting President William Ruto's government to deploy the military. "Deaths, mayhem", read the front-page headline on the Standard newspaper, while the Daily Nation described the situation as "Pandemonium", saying: "The […]

26 June, 2024

Africa

Kenya protesters scuffle with police firing rubber bullets, tear gas

By Hillary ORINDE Stone-throwing demonstrators scuffled Tuesday with Kenyan police who fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse thousands of mostly young people protesting proposed tax hikes in the capital Nairobi, AFP journalists saw. The mainly Gen-Z-led rallies, which began last week, have caught the government off guard, with President William Ruto saying over the weekend he was ready to talk to […]

25 June, 2024

Africa

Kenya police fire rubber bullets at youth protesters in Nairobi: AFP journalists

Kenyan police fired rubber bullets to disperse young protesters in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday, AFP journalists saw, escalating tensions as demonstrators rallied across the country against the government's proposed tax hikes. "Get the rubber bullets from the box," a police officer told his colleagues, according to an AFP journalist who overheard the conversation before they started firing in the air and at the protesters. bur-amu/kjm AFP […]

25 June, 2024

Oshiwambo

Omupresitend Ruto okwati okwa pyakudhukwa okuya moonkundathana naagundjuka

Omupresitend William Ruto okwa holola ohokwe okuya moonkundathana naagundjuka taya holola omadhiladhilo yeli ompinge nontotwaveta yopashimaliwa mo Kenya. O African News oya lopota kutya ohela,aahwahwameni aagundjuka,taya lalakanene oku keelela aanapolitika mboka ya yambidhidha ontotwaveta yaaha popye moongeleka,oya holola omakemo gawo kaakwanegongalo mo Nairobi. Aagundjuka oyeli ompinge nontotwaveta,ndjoka yeetapo iihohela iipe,nomahololomadhiladhilo onkee taga tsikile. oshiwike sha piti,omayovi yomuyo oya holola omadhilahdilo moshilongo ashihe,taa indile yi kuthwepo. Ruto ngoka ali kongeleka noku […]

24 June, 2024

Africa

Kenya protests: Gen Z shows the power of digital activism – driving change from screens to the streets

By Job Mwaura, University of the Witwatersrand Nationwide demonstrations have erupted in Kenya over a controversial tax bill. The Finance Bill 2024, initially presented to parliament in May, has sparked discontent with an increase in an array of taxes and levies for Kenyans. The mass protests, initially organised in the capital city, Nairobi, have spread across the country. Demonstrations have taken place in […]

24 June, 2024

Africa

One dead after tax protests in Kenyan capital Thursday

A man died on the sidelines of mass demonstrations against proposed tax hikes in the Kenyan capital, police said Friday, with the mounting protest a day earlier also leaving 200 people injured. A police watchdog said it was investigating allegations that the man was shot by police after Thursday's demonstrations in Nairobi, the second this week. Led largely by young Kenyans, the protests began in Nairobi […]

21 June, 2024

Africa

The rise of Africa’s Gen Zs: From TikTok, X to the streets

By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency On June 18, 2024, thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets to oppose proposed tax reforms, marking a significant shift in the landscape of youth activism and advocacy in Africa. Within hours, a colourful image that captures the essence of a youthful crowd in trendy attire protesting on the streets of Nairobi was doing the rounds […]

21 June, 2024