Kenya: Tear gas and stone throwing erupts in Nairobi as protests resume

A week after deadly clashes in Kenya, the protests against the new finance bill have resumed. Kenya has reported fresh clashes between riot police in protestors in Nairobi as they chant “Ruto Must Go”.As per latest reports, riot police fired tear gas grenades at stone-throwing protestors at downtown Nairobi and across Kenyan cities.As the protests resume, nationwide outrage against President William Ruto has surfaced as one of the key issues. Despite Ruto rejecting the finance bill and sending it back tot he parliament for amendments, the youth of the country remain unhappy with the President.

Ruto has already been caught between the demands of lenders such as the IMF and an unhappy population reeling from a price surge and high cost-of-living.The protests over the finance bill is also the most serious crisis to confront the Kenyan President since he assumed the post in 2022.Exactly one week after protests across Kenya over the finance bill, the protests on July 2 also took a violent turn.Some protestors resorted to stone-pelting during the demonstrations to which authorities responded with tear gas shelling and charging with wooden clubs.

A kiosk was also set on fire in the middle of the street. Apart from this several cars were also set ablaze.As per the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), a total of 39 people have been killed and over 300 have been injured over the two weeks of protests.