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Police, protesters clash in Kenyan cities in fresh protests over tax hikes
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Protesters clashed with police in Kenyan cities on Wednesday, in another wave of protests in less than a week planned by the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga.
The protest is a response to a number of tax increases by the government.
According to Reuters reporters and footage shown on Kenyan television stations, police officers used tear gas to disperse protesters in Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa, and numerous other places.
Protesters burned bonfires and attacked fences on the road that connects Nairobi, the capital, to the main airport. Toll services had been suspended at three stations.
Last Friday, at least six people were killed during protests against hikes in taxes, which were included in a finance bill passed into law by President William Ruto last month.
Protest organisers are demanding the scrapping of a new law which doubles fuel taxes and imposes a 1.5% housing levy on employees.
President William Ruto said the new taxes are needed to fund debt repayment, affordable housing and raise an extra 200 billion Kenyan shillings ($1.42 billion) a year.
Kenya’s High Court ordered the suspension of implementation of the law pending a legal challenge by the opposition, but the government has raised petrol prices anyway.
The opposition warned that the new taxes will further cause hardship for ordinary Kenyans at a time when many are already struggling with high prices of basic commodities.