Kenya riot police clash with anti-govt protesters amid renewed tax-bill unrest

Riot police fired tear gas at protesters in Kenya’s capital on Tuesday (2 July) as demonstrations erupted again in several cities across the country over a finance bill that would raise the cost of living even after President William Ruto said he would not sign it.
The protesters condemned police brutality amid deadly demonstrations over withdrawn tax bill and called for the president to resign. Kenya opposition leaders former prime minister condemn government for police violence. Kenya’s opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) with support from Raila Odinga, the nation’s former prime minister and Ruto’s rival, joined the protests in voicing their condemnation of police violence against youth-led anti-government protests, calling on the government to take responsibility for the deaths that occurred last week. The Kenya National Human Rights Commission said on Monday (1 July) that at least 39 people had been killed at the protests.
President Ruto has offered to have dialogue with Kenyan youth and has promised budget cuts on travel and hospitality for his office in line with some demands of the protestors who are outraged over the luxurious lives of the country’s political elite amid high unemployment and soaring inflation. Members of the youthful but leaderless protest movement are also increasingly frustrated with how Ruto’s government is operating, saying they do not trust the president to implement his new austerity plans or that he might even change his mind and sign the finance bill before next week’s deadline.