Janazah held for 19-year-old Muslim boy killed during tax hike protests – 5Pillars

The janazah of Ibrahim Kamau, 19, who was killed during a protest against tax increases, took place yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kamau was among thousands of protesters who stormed Parliament to demand lawmakers vote against a finance bill that would raise taxes.

The police opened fire and several people were killed instantly.

Hundreds of people carried Kamau’s coffin on Friday, accompanied by prayers and songs, honoring his memory.

The death toll from protests in Kenya has risen to 26 after Kenya’s High Court approved the use of military force to restore order following anti-tax protests that overwhelmed police.

President William Ruto on Wednesday bowed to public pressure and announced he would not sign the controversial 2024 Finance Bill, which includes several tax hikes.

The withdrawal of the controversial 2024 Finance Bill, which proposed significant tax hikes, may have calmed immediate public unrest, but it has not addressed the deeper financial problems facing the Kenyan government, financial experts say.

The bill was the cornerstone of Kenya’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to address the country’s fiscal challenges.

Ruto’s plan, backed by the IMF, to sign the bill which includes tax increases aimed at generating more than $2.7 billion in revenue for the government’s ambitious Ksh4.2 trillion ($30.6 billion) 2024-25 budget.

The IMF had advised the government to go ahead with the finance bill despite anticipated public protests.

The guidance is part of a broader strategy to meet the stringent conditions set by the IMF under its multi-year program with Kenya, which includes a series of tax reforms aimed at improving revenue collection.

This idea led to the deaths of more than 20 Kenyans, leaving dozens with gunshot wounds, according to financial expert Robert Gitachu.

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