Staff Writer
According to authorities, six persons were murdered on Wednesday during conflicts between police and protesters who took part in a legally barred opposition protest against tax increases.
Five of the six deaths were reported in the communities of Mlolongo and Kitengela on the outskirts of Nairobi, where police had earlier used tear gas to disperse protests.
One death was reported in Emali, a town along that road, where tear gas was also used to disperse mobs attacking a highway linking Nairobi to the coastal city of Mombasa.
A police official reported, “We have three deaths in Mlolongo, where a group of protesters had blocked the road to protest, as well as two others in Kitengela and one in Emali.”
On the condition of anonymity, he stated, “There was a confrontation with police officers deployed to put down the riots and some (people) were shot in the process.”
“I can confirm the deaths in Mlolongo, Emali, and Kitengela,” a second policeman added without offering any other details.
In an effort to overthrow the government, opposition leader Raila Odinga had called for protests against a tax law that had caused fuel costs to soar, making life even harder for Kenyans living in poverty.
Police head Japhet Koome, however, claimed late on Tuesday that no official notification of rallies had been given to the authorities as required by law.
He said that “all legal means will be used to disperse such demonstrations.”
Major roadways were abandoned as demonstrators went to the streets in numerous western cities where Odinga enjoys substantial support.
Tear gas and bullets
Six people were also slain during rallies that took place in numerous cities last week, according to the interior ministry, which sparked the conflicts.
Opposition parties and human rights activists charged the police with using excessive force.
On Wednesday, Odinga stated, “We have always said that these meetings stay peaceful until police decide to break them up with gunshots and tear gas.
“Police have shot, injured, and killed protesters in various parts of the country, including here in Nairobi.”
However, he said that he was canceling his intentions to speak to supporters in the capital due to concerns for their safety.
The prohibition comes in response to demonstrations last Friday, when police in Nairobi sprayed tear gas at Odinga’s convoy, according to AFP journalists.
Similar actions were taken against protests in Mombasa’s cities.
Campaigners claim that on Saturday, police deployed tear gas on leaders of civil society who were pleading for the release of numerous protesters who had been detained.
In addition to Amnesty International’s criticism of arbitrary arrests, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has called for an investigation into all instances of police abuse that have been documented.
tax increase
Following his defeat to William Ruto in the presidential election in August — a result he alleges was “stolen” — Odinga organized a number of anti-government protests this year.
A new financial law designed to raise more than $2.1 billion for the government’s impoverished coffers served as the impetus for Wednesday’s protest call.
It includes provisions for new taxes or price hikes on essential items like fuel and food, as well as mobile money transfers.
After a senator filed a case contesting the legislation’s constitutional legitimacy, the top court blocked its implementation. The suspension has been challenged by the administration.
Despite this, Kenya’s energy regulator has already announced an increase in pump prices after the law’s mandated doubling of VAT to 16 percent.
The rising cost of living in Kenya is a major source of concern, but many of the people who spoke to AFP said they could not afford the unrest brought on by the protests.
AFP was informed by shopkeeper Lameck Mwangi, 34, that he had made the decision to close his electronics shop in the heart of Nairobi for the day.
“When we see abandoned streets like this and cops policing the area, we all know where it ends. Just send me home so I can watch what
