Kenyan President Withdraws Controversial Finance Bill Following Deadly Protests

 Kenya’s President, William Ruto, has announced the withdrawal of a finance bill proposing controversial tax hikes following deadly protests during which parliament was set ablaze on Tuesday, June 25.

In a national address, President Ruto acknowledged the widespread opposition to the bill. “Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede. And therefore, I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill, and it shall subsequently be withdrawn. The people have spoken,” he stated in his televised address.

The protests, which resulted in at least 22 fatalities according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHRC), marked the most significant unrest since Ruto's election in 2022. The demonstrations saw protesters break into parliament, vandalizing its interior and setting parts of the complex on fire, with the ceremonial mace symbolizing legislative authority being stolen.

Initially, President Ruto responded with defiance, ordering the deployment of the military and declaring that "violence and anarchy" would not be tolerated. However, he reversed his stance on Wednesday as public outrage grew over the killing of protesters.

Wanjeri Nderu, head of the International Society For Human Rights, described the scene during the protests as akin to being "at war," noting that police used live ammunition even before parliament was breached. Catholic bishops condemned the security forces' actions and appealed to the police to avoid shooting at protesters while urging demonstrators to remain peaceful.

The Law Society of Kenya has called for international criminal investigators to assist families in seeking justice, citing reports of soldiers engaging protesters in parliament.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his sorrow over the deaths and injuries, including those of journalists and medical personnel, related to the protests and urged Kenyan authorities to "exercise restraint" while calling for all demonstrations to be peaceful.