Tensions escalated in Nairobi today as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds of protesters near the parliament building. The demonstrators were voicing their opposition to a controversial finance bill that aims to introduce new taxes and levies, potentially exacerbating the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
The proposed tax increases are projected to generate 346.7 billion shillings (approximately $2.7 billion), equivalent to 1.9 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP). Additionally, these measures are expected to reduce the budget deficit from 5.7 per cent to 3.3 per cent of GDP.
