Kenyan police have fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the capital, Nairobi.

There has been a heavy deployment of security forces, including the military, and roads are blocked around key buildings in the city ahead of the protests.

This comes two days after 22 people reportedly lost their lives in protests against tax hikes, which saw part of parliament set alight.

The next day, President William Ruto bowed to pressure and said he would withdraw the finance bill containing the unpopular tax proposals.

Demonstrators had vowed to gather again in Nairobi’s city centre to mourn those killed. Some have been demanding the president’s resignation.

Some have also vowed to march to the president’s official residence, State House.

Other prominent people linked to the protests have been warning against this because of the risk of further violence.

Roads leading to the building have been blocked, with officers turning away some motorists and pedestrians.

Earlier on Thursday, local television stations showed empty streets in the central business district, with many security forces on patrol.

There have also been protests in towns around the country.

In Mombasa, Kenya’s second-biggest city, large crowds turned out chanting “Ruto must go”, with businesses having to close because of some looting and stone throwing.

President Ruto’s hometown of Eldoret, which on Tuesday experienced violent clashes, is calm.

But there were some clashes in Migori in western Kenya, where police lobbed tear gas as they engaged with demonstrators.

Crowds of demonstrators confronted security officers in Kisumu, also in the west.

Ahead of Thursday’s protests, Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, told the BBC that young people were going to the streets again because “they still want their voices heard”.

Ms Obama, who was tear-gassed as she joined Tuesday’s protests, told the BBC Newsday programme that the youth were still aggrieved.

Mr Ruto had promised to enter into dialogue with them, but this has not yet happened, she said.

“The grievances are not over. It is way beyond the finance bill now, so a conversation has to happen. There has to be a dialogue. I hope that will happen. We do not want more bloodshed,” Ms Obama added.

Mr Ruto won the presidency in 2022 after campaigning to champion the interests of the “hustler” – the ordinary citizen struggling to earn a living.

But since then he has introduced a slew of taxes and raised others, making him unpopular as people complained that they could not afford to pay more when they were already struggling because of the cost-of-living crisis.

The finance bill outlined plans to introduce new taxes this year, including on bread and cooking oil, triggering the mass protests.

The government bowed to pressure and dropped some of the taxes but it did little to assuage the concerns of people, who demanded that the bill be withdrawn entirely.

On Wednesday, the president gave in to their demand, saying that “the people have spoken”.

But he defended the finance bill, saying his government had made the tough choices necessary to stabilise the economy and to help ease Kenya out of a debt trap which forces it to spend 61 cents of every tax dollar on repaying its loans.

Mr Ruto now intends to balance the books by introducing a new programme of public austerity, including a cut to spending in his own office.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan police on Thursday clashed with protesters in Nairobi before planned protests against a contentious finance bill, despite the president’s decision not to sign it after the plans sparked deadly chaos in the capital and saw protesters storming and burning part of the parliament building.

Protesters who said last week that they would march to the State House on Thursday say they still don’t trust President William Ruto, who has said the tax hikes would be withdrawn and budget cuts would be made.

Police have hurled tear gas canisters at groups of protesters attempting to congregate within the central business district. The military has been patrolling the city despite a Wednesday court order that suspended their deployment to support police during the protests.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday urged the young protesters to call off planned protests and give dialogue a chance.

The leaderless movement began online with young people demanding that legislators reject the proposed tax hikes. It later morphed into calls for the president’s resignation after the bill was passed. On Tuesday, thousands of protesters stormed Kenya’s parliament, burning parts of the building and sending lawmakers fleeing. Police opened fire and at least 22 people were reportedly killed in the chaos.

Activists were divided about the agenda of Thursday’s protests. One protester, Boniface Mwangi, urged others to peacefully march to parliament road where protesters were killed to pay their respects. “Invasion of the State House isn’t a solution,” he wrote on X.

But Francis Gaitho, one of the many activists mobilizing for the protests online, insisted that young people should march to the State House.

Activists and others warned that the stakes were higher than in past protests, because Ruto vowed on Tuesday to quash unrest “at whatever cost”.

Analyst Javas Bigambo told The Associated Press that the discontent is partly because Kenyans don’t trust the president to implement the austerity measures he announced on Wednesday.

“Kenyans still have a problem with the economy and wastage in government,” he said.

Bigambo said Ruto’s U-turn should be a “lesson on humility” as his initial reaction on Tuesday was “not stately and full of emotions” further agitating protesters. He said the government should win back the populace by opening dialogue channels and ensuring a consultative budgeting process.

Businesspeople in Nairobi were standing guard outside their shops on Thursday to prevent looting and vandalism, which took place during Tuesday’s protests.

Major roads leading to key government buildings, including parliament, have been blocked.

Outside Nairobi, protests have been reported in Mombasa, Kisumu, Migori and other major towns.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday spoke with Ruto, thanking him for taking steps to reduce tensions.

“The Secretary underscored the importance of security forces demonstrating restraint and refraining from violence and encouraged prompt investigations into allegations of human rights abuses,” a statement read.

 Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei has urged Kenyans to embrace peace and halt demonstrations after President William Ruto declined to sign the Finance Bill 2024.

In a statement on his X account, Korir urged the Gen Z youth to accept President Ruto’s offer of engaging in a conversation on the way forward for the country.

He described it as an opportunity to reform the government in a manner that best aligns with people’s aspirations.

“The high objectives of the protest- despite the regrettable loss of lives and destruction to property- has been a spectacular success. To shift the legitimate objectives of this protest so as to force the ouster of the president is unconstitutional,” said Korir.

He called on Kenyans to embrace peace to avoid loss of lives.

This call comes ahead of planned protest on justice for ‘fallen heroes’ and March to state House on Thursday.

The police have erected roadblocks on routes leading to State House and major entry spots to Nairobi CBD as the country braces for more possible protests even after President William Ruto backed down on planned tax hikes in the face of public outrage.

A spot check by Capital FM on Thursday morning shows restricted access for vehicles into Arboretum Drive, State House Road, and Dennis Pritt Road, where anti-riot police are turning away motorists, boda bodas, and pedestrians.

In the Central Business District, anti-riot police are strategically stationed in trucks and patrol vehicles at key junctions.

There is minimal business activity as most shops remain closed, and there is little traffic in town.

This follows plans by youths to hold demonstrations despite President William Ruto’s decision to send the contentious Finance Bill back to Parliament.

Last night, a meeting of more than 100,000 participants was held on X-spaces, focusing mostly on the state of the country’s economy and governance.

Security measures have also been enhanced in other major towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Migori, Nyeri among others.

Tusday’s protests targeting Parliament in Nairobi turned violent, leaving to killings of more than 20 people.

All roads leading to State House in Nairobi were barricaded on Thursday June 27, 2024, with heavy deployment of anti-riot police ahead of the planned protests.

The demonstrators, while mobilizing themselves on social media, had vowed to stage a daring march to State House to express their anger and dissatisfaction with President William Ruto’s government.

Meanwhile, anti-riot police officers were on stand-by in different parts of Nairobi to ensure protesting youth did not proceed to Parliament or State House.

This was after the deadly anti-Finance Bill protests on Tuesday when several protestors were shot dead after invading parliament.

Security teams are determined to prevent attempts by protesters to access the State House and other restricted areas in the capital city.

As a result, motorists were being diverted to use alternative routes as all roads leading to the State House were blocked.

The youth, mostly Gen Z had vowed to proceed with the protests despite President Ruto accepting not to sign the Finance Bill.

According to the organizers, the demonstrations will go on as a way of expressing anger over the Kenya Kwanza administration.

However, the plan to march to the State House has been met with mixed reactions as some protesters express fears over possible loss of lives.