https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230707/police-out-in-force-as-kenyans-protest-tax-hikes-1060394031.html
Three Killed in Kenya Protests Over Tax Increase
Three Killed in Kenya Protests Over Tax Increase
Sputnik Africa
In June this year Kenya's National Assembly ratified a bill on fuel VAT's (Value Added Tax) increase from 8% to 16%. The bill was supported by 184 MPs – mostly... 07.07.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-07-07T15:48+0200
2023-07-07T15:48+0200
2023-07-08T18:10+0200
sub-saharan africa
kenya
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william ruto
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raila odinga
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The number of people killed in protests in Kenya rose to three on Saturday, a hospital official and two police officers told AFP, after opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets against tax hikes.Police were out in force on Friday as Kenyans took to the streets in answer to an opposition call to demonstrate over a raft of controversial tax hikes.Tear gas was fired to break up protests in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa, television images showed, as people chanted "the struggle is not over". Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga's Azimio alliance called for anti-government protests over the impact of the new taxes on Kenyans already suffering from a severe cost-of-living crisis. Ruto had last week signed into law a finance bill which is expected to generate more than $2.1 billion for the government's depleted coffers and help repair the country's indebted economy. The Finance Act provides for new taxes or increases on a range of basic goods such as fuel and food and mobile money transfers. The bill also stipulates that businesses and employees would each contribute 1.5% of their gross salary to a housing levy, which will subsequently go into a fund used to pay for the development of low-income dwellings. The president has vehemently supported this provision.The new fiscal legislation, in Ruto's words, is concentrated on resolving issues "faced by ordinary Kenyans" and intends to boost the economy, create employment, and raise taxes.But the high court in Nairobi last Friday suspended implementation of the legislation after a senator filed a case challenging its constitutional legality. Despite the ruling, Kenya's energy regulator later that day announced a hike in pump prices to take account of the doubling of VAT to 16% as stipulated in the law. In Nairobi's central business district, where main government buildings are located, police were patrolling on foot, in vehicles and on horseback, while several roads in the capital were closed. In the lakeside city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, a man in a vehicle mounted with a loudspeaker was mobilising residents to turn out. The protests have been dubbed "Saba Saba" (Seven Seven) as they are taking place on the seventh day of the seventh month.
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kenya, east africa, protests, police, william ruto, president, raila odinga
kenya, east africa, protests, police, william ruto, president, raila odinga
Three Killed in Kenya Protests Over Tax Increase
15:48 07.07.2023 (Updated: 18:10 08.07.2023) Agence France Presse (AFP)
In June this year Kenya's National Assembly ratified a bill on fuel VAT's (Value Added Tax) increase from 8% to 16%. The bill was supported by 184 MPs – mostly from the ruling party Kenya Kwanza – while 88 MPs mostly from the opposition Azimio Party were against the amendments.
The number of people killed in protests in Kenya rose to three on Saturday, a hospital official and two police officers told AFP, after opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets against tax hikes.
Police were out in force on Friday as Kenyans took to the streets in answer to an opposition call to demonstrate over a raft of controversial tax hikes.
Tear gas was fired to break up
protests in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa, television images showed, as people chanted "the struggle is not over".
Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga's Azimio alliance called for anti-government protests over the impact of the new taxes on Kenyans already suffering from a severe cost-of-living crisis.
"[President William] Ruto is imposing taxes on us without our consent and making laws whose net effect is to make life increasingly difficult," Azimio said in a statement issued earlier this week.
Ruto had last week signed into law a finance bill which is expected to generate more than $2.1 billion for the government's depleted coffers and help repair the country's indebted economy.
The Finance Act provides for new taxes or increases on a range of basic goods such as fuel and food and mobile money transfers. The bill also stipulates that businesses and employees would each contribute 1.5% of their gross salary to a housing levy, which will subsequently go into a fund used to pay for the development of low-income dwellings. The president has vehemently
supported this provision.
The new fiscal legislation, in Ruto's words, is concentrated on resolving issues "faced by ordinary Kenyans" and intends to boost the economy, create employment, and raise taxes.
"How much longer do we want these people to live in slums? In my estimation, we are sixty years late in making the decision that Singapore made. I think the time is now," Ruto stated.
But the high court in Nairobi last Friday suspended implementation of the legislation after a senator filed a case challenging its constitutional legality.
Despite the ruling, Kenya's energy regulator later that day announced a hike in pump prices to take account of the doubling of VAT to 16% as stipulated in the law.
In Nairobi's central business district, where main government buildings are located, police were patrolling on foot, in vehicles and on horseback, while several roads in the capital were closed.
In the lakeside city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, a man in a vehicle mounted with a loudspeaker was mobilising residents to turn out.
"We must listen to Baba [known as Odinga], he said we have to demonstrate today, come out and join us to liberate our country," he said.
The protests have been dubbed "Saba Saba" (Seven Seven) as they are taking place on the seventh day of the seventh month.
