UN chief urges Kenyan authorities to pave way for peaceful demos

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he is saddened by reports of deaths and injuries that occurred during Tuesday’s anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.

The UN boss’s statement follows Tuesday’s protests witnessed in various parts of the country where scores were killed and injured.

Guterres appealed to the Kenyan government to exercise restraint when dealing with protesters.

“He is saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries, including of journalists and medical personnel. The Secretary-General is also concerned at reported cases of targeted arbitrary detentions”, said the UN boss through the Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.

Several bodies were spotted on the streets and outside parliament where police had opened fire while medical workers reported five people killed.

The youths forcefully stormed Parliament and tried to set it ablaze. The nationwide demos also witnessed the destruction of government property, events that the President termed treasonous.

“He underscores the need to uphold the right to demonstrate peacefully. The Secretary-General urges the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and calls for all demonstrations to take place peacefully. The Secretary-General conveys his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes those injured a speedy recovery” stated Dujarric.

The protesters, dubbed Gen Z, mainly youths, stormed the streets to demand the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024, in countrywide demos. Gunshots, tears and running battles marked the demos even as the MPs voted to amend various clauses fronted by the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.

The MPs eventually passed the Bill. Transport was paralysed and business premises closed hurriedly as gunshots and tear gas rent the air in major towns across the country.

He further conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families even as the number of deaths remains unknown.

Several bodies were spotted on the streets and outside parliament where police had opened fire while medical workers reported five people killed.

The youths forcefully stormed Parliament and tried to set it ablaze. The nationwide demos also witnessed the destruction of key government offices, events that the President termed treasonous.

“He underscores the need to uphold the right to demonstrate peacefully. The Secretary-General urges the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and calls for all demonstrations to take place peacefully. The Secretary-General conveys his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes those injured a speedy recovery” stated

The military has been deployed to support police provide security and restore order.

Protesters had demanded that legislators vote against a finance bill imposing new taxes

The protesters, dubbed Gen Z, mainly youths, stormed the streets to demand the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024, in countrywide demos.

Gunshots, tears and running battles marked the demos even as the MPs voted to amend various clauses fronted by the National Assembly’s Finance Committee. The MPs eventually passed the Bill.

Transport was paralysed and business premises closed hurriedly as gunshots and tear gas rent the air in major towns across the country.

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