By Ebi Kesiena
The United Nations has expressed sorrow over the fatalities during protests against the Finance Bill in Kenya, urging President William Ruto to heed the voices of the young protesters.
In the midst of escalating protests and a police crackdown on demonstrators on Thursday, the UN Human Rights office tweeted a call for restraint to allow protesters to express their grievances peacefully.
“Saddened by recent deaths and injuries in context of protests, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk urges restraint to facilitate the rights to peaceful assembly and expression, and dialogue to listen to the voices of young people. Investigations and accountability are essential,” the tweet read.
This call for restraint came after President Ruto, bowing to public pressure, announced the withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill in a live broadcast on Wednesday.
Nationwide protests against the Finance Bill began last week but turned violent as armed forces opened fire on demonstrators. Amnesty International reported that 23 people were killed by police gunfire on Tuesday, with about 200 injured and 50 abducted. The human rights organization accused President Ruto of overseeing the killing of unarmed demonstrators and called for his trial at the International Criminal Court.
Despite the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, Kenyan youth took to the streets again on Thursday in a #OccupyStateHouse protest. The controversial bill had proposed new taxes on cars, phones, bread, sanitary pads, and other commodities. Hundreds of youths defied military and police presence, converging in Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi to express their displeasure with President Ruto’s government.
