Pro- and Anti-Government Protesters Face Off in Kenya Amid Police Tear Gas Barrage

Kenya’s anti-government protests have entered their fifth week, with at least 50 people dead and 413 injured since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The protests began as calls for legislators to vote against a finance bill that proposed new taxes.

President William Ruto declined to sign the controversial bill and has dismissed almost all of his Cabinet ministers. Police have been banned in Nairobi due to the lack of clear leadership to coordinate with police to ensure safety and security. The court issued an order suspending the police ban on protests, as Kenya’s constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest and police are given advance notice to provide security.

Former Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome resigned on July 12, and the acting police head Douglas Kanja reiterated that the country’s main airport is a “protected area” and “out of bounds to unauthorized persons.”

Opposition leader Raila Odinga denied allegations of bribery and expressed support for protesters, providing a list of demands that must be met by the government before dialogue. The opposition is demanding that families of the killed protesters be compensated and that charges against those arrested during protests be dropped.