(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) The half-sister of former President Barack Obama, Auma Obama, rallied against a bill that would raise taxes in Kenya on Tuesday, where authorities released tear gas on the protesters, according to NBC News.
As CNN interviewed Obama after the release of the gas, she teared up and struggled to breathe.
“I can’t believe that these young people are just trying to demonstrate for their rights,” she said. “And to tell them that we understand that they need to use their voices and we are being tear-gassed. We’re being tear-gassed! We have flags and banners and nothing else.”
BREAKING: Auma Obama is tear-gassed by Kenya police live on CNN as she joins peaceful protests against over-taxation pic.twitter.com/XLpsvLlDyz
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) June 25, 2024
Reports indicated that thousands of protesters converged on the capitol building after the tax hike passed on Tuesday.
Emergency services took several of the protesters to the hospital, where five people died of their injuries. Reports indicated that 21 protesters are still missing.
Protesters attempted to combat the passing of the hotly contested bill with a protest titled “7 Days of Rage.”
Young people lead the protests against the tax increases, signed by recently elected President William Ruto, who many of the protesters voted for after his promises for economic relief.
“I fell for his lies,” said voter Oscar Saina. “Now I’m out here regretting why I voted for him.”
The finance bill raised taxes for millions of Kenyans in an attempt to pay back some of the country’s $80 billion in debt.
Increased taxes combined with high inflation pushed several citizens to the brink.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission called on the president to “end repression of peaceful protesters;” the president attended an African Union retreat on the day of the protests and neglected to release a statement on the issue.
Several human rights organizations and figureheads of the Kenyan political landscape, including president of the Kenyan law society Faith Odhiambo, condemned the president for his lack of action.
“Every Kenyan today who has lost his or her life in the struggle to stamp out corruption and seek economic liberation lies in the hands of a rogue and inconsiderate president,” she said.
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