Kenyan anti-tax protests made international headlines over the past week following the countrywide stance to reject the Finance Bill 2024.
Members of the public thronged the streets armed with Kenyan flags, water, and placards, declaring their displeasure at the additional oppressive taxes contained in the finance bill.
Angered by a majority vote at the National Assembly to pass the bill, Kenyans resorted to countrywide protests to air their discontent. Public and private properties were damaged in the process.
Among properties vandalised by irate Kenyans include the homes and businesses of some of the legislators who voted in favour of the bill.
MP Kuria Kimani – rural home in Molo
National Assembly Finance Committee Chair Kuria Kimani’s rural home in Molo, Nakuru County was set on fire by his constituents. The angry mob descended on his home after parliament voted to adopt the bill.
The residence was vandalised and properties of unknown value were looted. The irate protestors also set on fire three cars that were parked inside the MP’s compound.
The protestors also looted 10,000 chicken from Kuria Kimani’s farm.
Club Timba XO – Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi
Eldoret-based Club Timba Xo has made the headlines over the recent days for various reasons. The newly-launched entertainment spot associated with Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi has been the talk of town
Timba Xo was among the private properties vandalised by Kenyans immediately after the MPs voted to adopt amendments by the National Assembly Finance Committee and pass the Finance Bill.
Kenyans mobbed the building, damaging the glass-walled exterior, while others managed to breach the perimeter wall and loot the premises.
National Assembly Majority Leader, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah’ – office in Kikuyu
Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung’wah’s office in Kikuyu was vandalised, and properties of unknown value looted before the premises were set ablaze by angry members of the public.
Properties of unknown value were damaged as the angry Kikuyu constituents torched their area MP’s office alongside the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) offices.
Vehicles parked inside the compound were set ablaze.
Chieni Supermarket – Kieni MP Njoroge Wainaina
As the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests unravelled countrywide, residents of Nyeri Town raided Chieni Supermarket, looted property of unknown value before setting the establishment on fire.
The supermarket is owned by Kieni Member of Parliament Njoroge Wainaina.
Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda’s home in Kisii
The UDA lawmaker’s home in Kisii town was breached by members of the public who intended to vandalise the property.
However, the protestors were repulsed by heavily armed policemen who had responded to secure the home.
Jhanda was among the Kenya Kwanza legislators who voted in favour of the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro -Rural home in Kisii
Irate members of the public also broke into the rural home of National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro in South Mugirango.
The protestors were repulsed by a heavy security presence at the property.