Kenya's president withdraws tax plan after deadly protest

Kenya's President William Ruto has announced that he will withdraw a finance bill that proposed controversial tax hikes following deadly protests. The protests, which took place on Tuesday, resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. In a televised address to the nation, President Ruto acknowledged that the people of Kenya were strongly opposed to the bill and stated that he would not sign it into law. He also mentioned that he would engage in dialogue with the young people who were at the forefront of the protests. The bill had been passed by parliament despite widespread demonstrations against it. Protesters broke into the parliament building, vandalized the interior, and set parts of the complex on fire. The ceremonial mace, symbolizing the authority of the legislature, was stolen during the chaos. Initially, President Ruto responded to the unrest with a firm stance, ordering the military to be deployed and stating that 'violence and anarchy' would not be tolerated. However, he reversed his position on Wednesday as public outrage over the killing of protesters grew. Wanjeri Nderu, head of the International Society For Human Rights, described the situation during the protests as 'like we were at war,' noting that police were using live ammunition even before the parliament was breached. Catholic bishops condemned the actions of the security forces and appealed to the police not to shoot at protesters, while also urging demonstrators to remain peaceful. The Law Society of Kenya called for international criminal investigators to assist in the quest for justice for the families of those killed, reporting that soldiers were engaging protesters in parliament. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his deep sadness over the reports of deaths and injuries, including those of journalists and medical personnel. He urged Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and called for all demonstrations to be peaceful. The protests occurred despite the government having already dropped some of the bill's most controversial proposals amid protests the previous week. Demonstrators demanded that the entire bill be scrapped, a demand that President Ruto has now agreed to. The government had previously argued that the tax increases were necessary to reduce the country's debt, which stands at over $80 billion and costs more than half of the annual tax revenues to service. The original bill proposed taxes on essential items such as bread, cooking oil, mobile money services, specialized hospitals, and motor vehicles, which many Kenyans argued would exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis.