As hundreds demonstrate, a Kenyan parliament panel requests that the government remove some new taxes

As hundreds of demonstrators upset by the proposals took to the streets in Nairobi’s capital on Tuesday, a Kenyan parliamentary panel suggested that the government eliminate some new levies that were included in the budget for the upcoming year.

The President William Ruto administration’s newest attempt to increase revenue and decrease borrowing is the tax hikes, which include new taxes on bread and cars, but they have been met with strong criticism.

Protests were also triggered by the government’s introduction of a house tax and an increase in national health insurance contributions last year.

The finance committee of the Kenyan parliament, chaired by Kimani Kuria, reported that the committee had suggested removing a value-added tax on bread, a new tax on car ownership, and greater taxes on banking and mobile phone charges from the government’s budget bill for the 2024–2025 fiscal year.

As he was speaking, hundreds of protestors were demonstrating close to the parliament building when police used tear gas, according to Reuters witnesses.

Protester Muthoni Wanjiku told Reuters, “We need this government to do something. We can’t even afford diapers for the kids anymore.”

Human rights organizations and the nation’s media council, which grants journalistic accreditation, charged that police officers had used excessive force to put an end to the demonstrations, even temporarily holding reporters who were reporting them.

According to Amnesty Kenya, 201 people—including journalists, protestors, and observers from human rights organizations—were taken into custody during Tuesday’s demonstrations.

“All demonstrators and observers who have been arrested must be released immediately and without conditions. It added on its X account, “We demand that the (police) honor its obligation to defend and uphold the rights of Kenyan residents to peaceful assembly.

The Nairobi County Police Commander, Adamson Bungei, did not return calls for comment.

On Tuesday, President Ruto expressed his happiness that “we are having a conversation about taxes and about debt and about what we need to do about it” to members of his ruling coalition.

The recent tax increases are being criticized for potentially hurting Kenya’s economy.
Lawmakers will discuss and vote on the laws underlying the budget line by line on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to finance minister Njuguna Ndung’u, this year’s budget bill seeks to generate an additional 346.7 billion shillings ($2.7 billion) in income. She made this announcement last week.

A few taxes from the finance bill from last year, such as the housing charge, are currently being contested in court.

$1 equals 128.0000 shillings in Kenya.