Protests Demand That Kenyan President Resign Chaoticly, Police Fire Tear Gas

UNSPLASH/Colin Lloyd ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Chaos occurred at a demonstration to lead Kenyan President William Ruto to step down following last week's deadly anti-tax clashes.

Kenyan riot police fired tear gas at protesters in Nairobi, Tuesday, July 2. A cloud of tear gas flew in downtown Nairobi after protesters burned Waiyaki Way, the main road that crossed the capital's center, and threw stones at police in the central business area.

Outside the capital city, hundreds of protesters staged a demonstration through Mombasa, Kenya's second-largest city, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. They carry palm vendors, blow plastic trumpets and beat gender, shouting 'Ruto must go!'

Ruto, who faces the most serious crisis over nearly two years of his term of office, has been caught between the demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce the deficit, and the population is severely depressed due to soaring cost of living.

Members of the protest movement, rejected Ruto's call for dialogue, even after he ignored the proposed increase in taxes that sparked demonstrations.

"People are dying on the streets and the only thing he can talk about is money. We are not money. We are humans. We are humans," Milan Waudo protesters told Reuters in Mombasa.

"He needs to care about his people, because if he doesn't care about his people then we don't need him in that seat," he added.

Another protest took place in Kisumu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Migori, Mlolongo and Rongo, according to a broadcast on Kenyan television. In the town of Migori in the southwest, protesters burned tires.