The NGO Council of Kenya has called for calm and urged coalition leaders planning protest rallies in the country to instead dialogue to resolve their grievances.
Development Diaries reports that the Chairman of the NGO Council, Stephen Cheboi, in a statement, called on the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Coalition leadership to suspend a protest rally planned for 12 July as it could disrupt peace.
Anti-government protests broke out on 07 July over tax increases imposed by the government amid soaring cost of living despite a court-ordered suspension.
‘Let’s always observe peace as a nation. We should be united as the people of Kenyan’, Cheboi said in the statement.
The Finance Act signed by President William Ruto provides for new taxes or increases on basic goods such as fuel, food, and mobile money transfers, as well as a controversial levy on all taxpayers to fund a housing scheme.
Following protests in Nairobi, police allegedly fired tear gas and shot dead two people in Kisumu and Migori, while 100 people were also arrested.
On Saturday, police also used tear gas on civil society representatives, including former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, who were demanding the release of dozens of people taken into custody during the protests.
Cheboi expressed concerns that Kenya may have lost billions due to the protest.
President Ruto signed the law to generate more than $2.1 billion for the government’s depleted coffers and help repair the heavily-indebted economy.
Photo source: East Africa Facts
