(18 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nairobi, Kenya – 18 June 2024
1. Mid of tear gas canister exploding
2. Protesters running
3. Various of protesters chanting
4. Mid of tear gas canister thrown in street, people running
5. SOUNDBITE (Kiswahili/English) Achie (full name not given), protester:
"I am here to protest, to reject the finance bill. It is very oppressive. The fact that they will tax sanitary towels, that is really bad. Most Kenyan women can’t even afford sanitary products and they still want to put more tax on it. It is unacceptable."
6. Various protester being detained and put in vehicle, vehicle driving away
STORYLINE:
More than 200 protesters have been arrested in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, in ongoing protests against proposed tax hikes in a finance bill that is due to be tabled in parliament.
"I am here to protest, to reject the finance bill. It is very oppressive. The fact that they will tax sanitary towels, that is really bad," one protestor told the Associated Press.
"Most Kenyan women can’t even afford sanitary products and they still want to put more tax on it, it is unacceptable," she added.
Civil society groups said that demonstrations and a planned sit-down outside parliament buildings will continue despite the arrest of 210 protesters.
Nairobi Police Commander Adamson Bungei on Tuesday said no group had been granted permission to protest in the capital.
The right to peaceful protests is guaranteed in Kenya’s constitution but organizers are required to notify the police beforehand.
Police generally give a go-ahead unless there are security concerns.
Some major tax proposals in the bill were dropped after a Tuesday morning meeting between ruling party lawmakers and President William Ruto.
The chairperson of the finance committee, Kuria Kimani, said the proposal to introduce a 16% value-added tax on bread had been dropped.
Other levies that had prompted debate and have been amended include a proposed 2.5% motor vehicle annual tax that was to be placed on insurance.
A proposed tax on goods that degrade the environment will also be amended to apply only to imported goods to encourage local manufacturing.
Ruto last month defended the proposed taxes, saying the country must be financially self-sustaining.
AP video shot by: Jackson Njehia and Idi Ali Juma
Production by Zelipha Kirobi
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