Monday, August 17, 2026

Police tear-gas Kenyans protesting hike in fuel tax

The Kenyan police force Tuesday fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters protesting a planned finance bill that will raise fuel and housing taxes.

• June 7, 2023
POLICE TEAR-GASSING PROTESTING KENYANS
POLICE TEAR-GASSING PROTESTING KENYANS

The Kenyan police force Tuesday fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters protesting a planned finance bill that will raise fuel and housing taxes.

According to Voice of America VOA, the police fired tear gas to disperse roughly 500 demonstrators who marched to Parliament to present a petition against the law. 

The report also quoted a Reuters witness saying that police also detained eleven demonstrators.

President William Ruto rode to power on the promise of reducing the country’s mounting debt, with multilateral debt increasing from $13.7 billion in 2020 to $17.9 billion in 2022.

Due to the financial issue, the government reportedly delayed public servants’ salaries in the past months.

However, government officials and political opponents have slammed his idea, arguing that the cost of living is already too high.

The opposition Azimio Umoja (Declaration of Unity) party has spearheaded protests against the government since March over the high cost of living and suspected election fraud.

Labour unions, including one representing health workers, also protested against the bill last week.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Tinubu speaking to IBB

Politics

Tinubu celebrates ex-military dictator IBB at 85

“But for his foresight, wisdom, and sense of equity and fairness, many states in the federation might not exist today,” Mr Tinubu reasoned.

Apapa port (Credit: Stears)

Anti-Corruption

SEREC accountability in port charges, operational delays

SEREC has called for transparent port charges, accountable operators and a regulatory system where responsibility for delays follows the party that caused them.

distributed food palliatives to 500 widows

Lagos

Badagry LG chairman distributes food palliatives to 500 widows

Mr Hunpe said the widows were selected randomly across the 10 wards of the local government.

Customs

NationWide

Customs hands over 399 seized rifles to arms control agency

Mr Adeniyi said officials seized the firearms during the inspection and documentation of a consignment at Tincan Island Port, Lagos.

Yekini Idiaye

States

New Edo assembly speaker suspends Agbebaku, majority leader over alleged corruption

Mr Idiaye, who represents Akoko Edo Constituency I, was elected the new speaker following Blessing Agbebaku’s resignation on Monday.

NEDC

States

Regional development minister lauds NEDC projects in Borno

Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, commended the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for ongoing projects in the region.