'Until Thursday', Tax Demonstrators Roll Out Follow-up Action After Tragedy 23 People Died Outside Parliament

New Financial Bill protests related to tax increases in Kenya/PHOTO via X @AmnestyKenya)

JAKARTA - Protesters in Kenya promised to continue to demonstrate against rising new taxes, a day after bloody clashes outside the parliament building and across the country left 23 dead and dozens injured.

The supporters of the protest movement, which has been going on for a week, enlivened X, using the hashtag #tinethursday, or "See you on Thursday" in mixed languages.

As reported by Reuters on Wednesday, June 26, anger on social media timelines over tax increases has grown into a national-scale protest movement calling for a political reshuffle, as the most serious crisis in President William Ruto's two years of leadership.

Police opened fire on a crowd of people gathered around the parliament building on Tuesday, June 25 who later broke into the parliament complex, moments after lawmakers voted to approve a controversial tax policy.

The Nation newspaper documented protests in at least 35 of the 47 regencies in Kenya, from major cities to rural areas even in Ruto's hometown in Eldoret at the heart of the Kalenjin ethnicity.

Reportedly 23 people died across Kenya and 30 others were treated for gunshot wounds, the Kenyan Medical Association said.

In the capital, the morgue received the bodies of six people who died in a protest on Tuesday, a police officer on duty told Reuters. Two other bodies and 160 injured people were taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, two health officials said.

Many social media users focused on Ruto's speech after the clashes, in which he said the attack on parliament was the act of "criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters".

"Good morning fellow CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION Tupatan Thursday To do what THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DID," one of the X users uploaded.

Posts on social media urged the public to occupy the State building, office and residence of the president, on Thursday, June 27 and local office of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday, June 28, although it is not yet clear whether the call comes from individuals or broader movements.