Kenya finance bill live: Tear gas fired at protesters after Ruto U-turn
- Kenya’s security officials put up roadblocks and fire tear gas and rubber bullets in Nairobi as protesters gather in the capital.
- Developments come a day after President Ruto made a dramatic U-turn and withdrew contentious tax hikes.
Rubber bullets fired at protesters
AFP news agency is reporting that in addition to tear gas, security forces in Nairobi are firing rubber bullets to disperse protesters.
At least 23 people were reported to have been killed in protests that took place on Tuesday.
Protests taking place in Kisumu
Kenya’s news outlet Nation is reporting that protesters in Kisumu, the country’s third-largest city, have marched from Kondele to the city centre and have staged a sit-down protest in front of Kisumu State Lodge.
It is being reported that there are police officers as well as military vehicles at the location.
Police keep dispersing growing crowd with tear gas
We’re in Nairobi city centre where there’s been a heavy security deployment.
From sunrise, we saw a military vehicle at parliament and a heavy police deployment.
This unit of riot police has been firing at a group of protesters that is trying to gather. It’s a growing crowd of demonstrators, but each time they try, the police disperses them with tear gas.
There’s some plainclothes security officials here, too. They’ve also been firing tear gas to break up this crowd that keeps regathering.
It looks like police are trying to stop anything from happening before it even starts. It makes it look like the government doesn’t want any protest to happen at all.
Tear gas used in Nairobi
We’re getting reports that security officials are using tear gas in the capital, Nairobi, to deter protesters from gathering.
Local news website Kenyans.co.ke is reporting the use of tear gas on aid workers at Jamia Mosque in Nairobi.
We’ll bring you more on that shortly from our correspondent on the ground in Nairobi.
Security forces head for Nairobi city centre
The military has moved to Nairobi’s city centre, Kenya’s The Star news website reports. A convoy of land cruisers and armoured personnel carriers was seen moving along the Uhuru Highway.
Another team of officers on standby made its way from Nyayo stadium through Langata Road to Ulinzi Sports Complex, the report said.
Officials said the deployment is meant to guard critical government installations.
The situation in Nairobi’s central business district has remained calm with most shops closed.
Roadblocks set up in Nairobi
As we reported earlier, Kenyan police have put up roadblocks on streets leading to the presidential palace.
Reuters reported an army vehicle in the capital’s central business district, the site of the bulk of Tuesday’s protests, after the government deployed the military to help police control the situation.
The Standard reported there is “beefed up [security] in the central business district, other parts of the country as officers patrol major highways”.
