A Nairobi mosque held the funeral for 19-year-old Ibrahim Kamau after he was shot during a protest on Tuesday against the government’s now-withdrawn proposed tax bill.
Mourners on Friday paid their respects and carried the coffin through Nairobi’s streets following the funeral service. The protest on Tuesday saw demonstrators storm parliament, leading to police opening fire in the ensuing chaos, which left several people dead, reportedly as many as 22.
On Thursday, police in Kenya’s capital used tear gas to disperse anti-tax protesters who continued to gather despite President William Ruto’s repudiation of the unpopular tax legislation that had sparked deadly unrest earlier in the week.
The finance legislation has faced fierce resistance from the Kenyan public, particularly younger protesters, struggling with higher living costs.
Protesters who gathered on Thursday expressed distrust in Ruto despite his decision to send the finance bill back to parliament, promising to make budget cuts to replace the proposed new taxes and fees on various items and services, from egg imports to bank transfers.
