Kenya's president said he would withdraw planned tax rises, bowing to pressure from protesters who had stormed parliament, launched demonstrations across the country and threatened more action this week. Medics said violent clashes between police and protesters had left at least 23 people dead across the country and scores wounded.

Nairobi

Kenya's President William Ruto has decided to revoke planned tax increases following nationwide protests. Ruto stated that he would not be signing the Finance Bill 2024, in response to the widespread opposition from the Kenyan public.

The decision comes after a series of demonstrations, which included protesters storming parliament. These protests quickly escalated into violent clashes between police and demonstrators, resulting in at least 23 deaths and numerous injuries. Medics have reported fatalities and injuries across the country.

Ruto's decision is viewed as a significant win for a youth-led protest movement that originated online and evolved into large-scale rallies. Despite the president’s concession, some protestors have indicated plans to continue their demonstrations, calling for Ruto’s resignation.

Reports indicate that the protests have occurred in at least 35 of Kenya's 47 counties. This situation represents a substantial challenge to Ruto’s administration, which has been under pressure from both the public and international lenders like the IMF to balance the country's fiscal budget.



'I concede,' says Kenya’s Ruto as he backs down on tax hikes

Kenya's President William Ruto backed down on planned tax hikes on Wednesday, bowing to pressure after deadly nationwide protests. 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. Ruto's backtracking will be seen as a major victory for a week-old youth-led protest movement that grew from online condemnations of tax increases into mass rallies. Demonstrators stormed parliament on Tuesday as protests were held across the country. Police opened fire on the crowds, who later broke into the assembly's compound just minutes after lawmakers had voted through the tax measure. Some demonstrators said on social media that, despite Ruto's climbdown, they would go ahead with a rally planned for Thursday, with many reiterating demands that he resign. Medics said violent clashes between police and protesters had left at least 23 people dead across the country and scores wounded. Edith Owino is a relative of a deceased protester. It is very devastating because these are young kids. They were out to fight for their rights. I didn't see the reason for using the live bullets on them. A Kenyan news outlet reported protests in at least 35 of Kenya's 47 counties. The unrest marks the most serious crisis of Ruto's two-year-old presidency, and the about-face Police may see off the immediate threat of more action, but it leaves him caught between the competing demands of his hard-pressed citizens and of lenders such as the IMF, which is urging the government to cut deficits to obtain more financing.

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