Ruto rejects tax bill and returns it to parliament

NAIROBI — Kenya's President William Ruto on Wednesday declined to sign a finance bill that has sparked nationwide deadly protests, and has sent it back to parliament for amendments, Kenya's Star newspaper and KTN News reported.

Police opened fire on crowds who massed around parliament on Tuesday and later broke into parliament buildings, minutes after lawmakers had voted through tax hikes seeking to raise an additional $2.7 billion.

Kenyan protesters vowed on Wednesday to keep up their demonstrations against new tax hikes, a day after violent clashes outside parliament and across the country left at least 23 people dead and scores wounded.

Aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said its staff members were left hurt and traumatized when stones were thrown at one of its ambulances during Tuesday's unrest. The Kenya Red Cross also said its staff and vehicles were attacked, without going into further detail.

The Star newspaper reported it had been informed by sources in Ruto's office the president has proposed a raft of amendments which members of parliament will have to consider.

Ruto termed Tuesday's street protests as "treasonous", noting that his government will soon provide an expeditious response to the situation.

In his televised address to the nation on Tuesday night, Ruto said the government has mobilized all resources to ensure the situation does not occur again "at whatever cost." He directed security organs to use all means possible to thwart any threats to the national security.

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat on Tuesday expressed "deep concern" over the deadly violence in Kenya.

In a statement, the AU chief said he is following the outbreak of violence after the public protests in Kenya, which has resulted in a loss of life and damage to property.

He also urged national stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to address the issues that led to the protests in the interest of Kenya.

During Tuesday's protests, demonstrators in Nairobi also raided the City County Government, vandalizing property and setting ablaze some offices.

The protests in the capital brought businesses to a standstill, with all the shops in the central business district remaining shut.

Public transport was disrupted across Nairobi, and many operators of commuter buses grounded their vehicles, leaving office workers stranded, with many of them opting to walk for kilometers away from the central business district to try to get vehicles home.

The lawmakers on Tuesday morning passed the finance bill 2024, seeking to raise an additional 346.7 billion shillings ($2.67 billion), by such measures as increasing the railway development levy from 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent, as well as the import declaration fee from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.

Ruto, who won the elections in August 2022 on a platform of helping the poor, has been under pressure to raise additional revenues amid rising government debt repayments.

Xinhua - Agencies