Report: 39 Killed in Kenya’s Anti-Tax Protests

Facts

• According to data released by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) on Monday, at least 39 people were killed and 361 were injured between June 18 and July 1 in nationwide protests over planned tax hikes.¹
• The toll is believed to be almost double the figures previously reported by authorities. Kenya's national human rights body also reported 32 cases of 'enforced or involuntary disappearances' and 627 arrests.²
• Claiming the government used 'unwarranted violence and force,' KNCHR said the victims included medical personnel, lawyers, and journalists.²
• Kenya's police watchdog has begun a probe into allegations that police shot down protesters outside the parliament in Nairobi during demonstrations, in which at least 23 people lost their lives.³
• Violence erupted last Tuesday after Kenya's lawmakers passed a controversial tax law to service the public debt of 10T shillings ($76B), roughly 70% of its GDP.²
• The planned reforms have since been reversed, though protests continued on Tuesday, with many demonstrators calling for Pres. William Ruto's resignation.⁴

Sources: ¹The Times of India, ²Guardian, ³BBC News (a) and ⁴BBC News (b).

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Conversation. Kenyan police have historically served political regimes, treating citizens, especially the poor and marginalized, as potential criminals. Pres. Ruto's recent praise for police, despite their violence, further erodes public trust. Kenya's constitution guarantees the right to protest, but inadequate policies result in continued human rights abuses.
• Narrative B, as provided by News. The use of force against ferocious protesters was necessary to prevent criminals from exploiting peaceful protests to incite terror and ensure order and security amid a cost-of-living crisis. Violent acts against democratic institutions can't go unchecked as they undermine a nation's rule of law and stability and set a dangerous precedent.

Predictions