Metro

Kenyan protesters clash with police during demonstration against tax hike

Published

2 years ago

June 6, 2023

Kenyan demonstrators protesting a planned hike in Finance Tax, on Tuesday, clashed with the police which led to injuries to some of the protesters after the police fired teargas at the crowd in a bid to disperse them.

The demonstrators had taken to major streets in the capital, Nairobi to kick against rising cost of living crisis triggered by new Finance Bill set to implement “fresh or increased taxes” approved by President William Ruto.

The proposed bill known as the Finance Bill 2023, is seeking to impose new and increased taxes on a wide range of items including fuel, food items, beauty products, crypto currencies and social media influencers.

According to local media, the protesters in their hundreds, carrying placards with different inscriptions like “Down down finance bill”, “They want to kill us with hunger”, “Will more taxation lead to low cost of living” and “Poverty is man-made,” marched to the Kenyan parliament to register their grievances when the police fired several volleys of tear gas and arrested 11 people, bundling them into a police truck, to try to disperse the demonstration.

Shortly after winning the presidential election last August, Ruto, who had campaigned on a “platform of helping the poor,” had defended the bill, saying its provisions were needed to ensure financial stability and create jobs for young people by building new houses financed through a housing levy.

However, the opposition Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) party, which has been leading protests against the government over the high cost of living and alleged fraud in last year’s election, has insisted that the bill will take the country back to the 1980s, when the economy started to deteriorate.

“We have refused to sit back and watch as Kenyans are being harassed to fix cash crunch caused by economic mismanagement, wasteful spending, corruption and skewed and incompetent hiring into critical public positions,” the Azimio said in a statement.

Related Topics:Featured Finance Tax High Cost of Living Kenya president William Ruto Protest

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

46 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.