The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the reported violence in Kenya connected to the anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations.
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres in a statement on Tuesday saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries, including of journalists and medical personnel.
Antonio Guterres who also is deeply concerned at the reported cases of targeted arbitrary detentions, underscored the need to uphold the right to demonstrate peacefully.
He urged the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and called for all demonstrations to take place peacefully while conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
An unconfirmed number of people were shot dead during Tuesday’s mass protests and many were left nursing gunshot wounds after Anti-Riot Police Unit (ATPU) officers opened live rounds of ammunition.
Amnesty International said that over 31 people were injured and five people were shot dead as at 6:36pm on Tuesday. 
Protesters breached Parliament buildings and vandalised the premises while the majority maintained that they were marching peacefully.
Parliamentarians were evacuated soon after the chaos erupted as countable bodies of the protesters were seen lying on Parliament Road.
In a late-night national address, Kenyan President, William Ruto described the breach of parliament as treasonous, vowing to crack down on the ‘organisers and financiers of the protests.
According to President Ruto, it is inconceivable that “criminals posing as peaceful protesters” can terrorise people, elected representatives, and institutions and expect to get away with it.
“We must isolate crime from democratic expression and separate criminals from people exercising their freedom of expression and divergent opinion,” the President added.
Report has it that despite the unrest, parliament approved the finance bill, moving it to a third reading by lawmakers. The next step involves sending the legislation to the president for signing, with the possibility of it being sent back to parliament if the president has any objections.
The government has made some concessions, such as scrapping proposed new taxes on bread, cooking oil, car ownership, and financial transactions. However, these measures have not appeased protesters.
The finance ministry warned that these concessions could create a 200 billion Kenyan shilling ($1.56 billion) gap in the 2024-25 budget, necessitating spending cuts or other tax increases.
Initially, Tuesday’s protests had a festive atmosphere, but the mood shifted as police fired tear gas in Nairobi’s Central Business District and the poor neighborhood of Kibera.
Protesters retaliated by throwing stones at police lines. Similar clashes occurred in Eldoret, Ruto’s hometown, and other cities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, and Garissa.
In Nairobi, demonstrators chanted “Ruto must go” and sang in Swahili: “All can be possible without Ruto.” Music played from loudspeakers as protesters waved Kenyan flags and blew whistles before the violence escalated.
Thousands had already taken to the streets during two days of protests last week, driven by an online, youth-led movement gaining momentum.
