?? MPs Scamper for Safety, Parliament on Fire, US & Russia Issue Warnings

By Derrick Kubasu

Here is an edition of the Evening Brief Newsletter where anti-Finance Bill protests escalated.

Situational Awareness: KTN News announces that it has received threats to shut down the station.

"In the wake of our detailed coverage of the ongoing protests that has been organised by Gen Z protesters, we would like to inform our viewers that we have received threats from authorities of intention to shut us down. We would like to inform the public of our commitment to defend the public interest ad we shall not be cowed by any threats,” the broadcaster announced.

Parliament Mayhem

The anti-Finance Bill protests which, at the break of dawn, seemed peaceful turned chaotic in the hours succeeding mid-day on Tuesday as a section of the protesters attempted to break into Parliament buildings.

Danger to MPs and Staff: Members of the National Assembly, who were preparing for the third reading of the Finance Bill, were forced to scamper for safety as the situation worsened.

Video clips shared online and broadcast live on TV showed ruins within a section of Parliamentary precincts. The ruins showed broken window panes, damaged furniture and broken office fittings.

Lawmakers, some of who were inside Parliament, sought refuge inside the building's upper floors and secure basements.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that Senate Speaker Amason Kingi was rushed out of the buildings after allegedly sustaining injuries.

Parliament on Fire

In the afternoon, some of the protesters aggressively made their way to Parliament and broke into the buildings.?

Deaths Reported: The police officers guarding the buildings opened live fire on the protesters instantly killing an unidentified number of them. Reporters counted up to three bodies lying outside Parliament.

According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), police officers manning the parliament buildings reportedly shot five protestors.

"Police have shot four protesters, as witnessed by KHRC, killing one. We strongly condemn the police killing. Such actions are unacceptable and constitute a grave violation of human rights. "Justice and accountability are imperative. We will vigorously push for police accountability," the Kenya Human Rights Commission noted in a statement.

Shortly after, a section of the Parliament buildings, broadcasted live, was on fire with smoke seen billowing.

This was after some protestors managed to gain access to the buildings after overpowering the police who had barricaded the barriers.

Earlier, a police truck was set on fire outside Parliament.

Of Note: Reports indicated that the military is about to be deployed to neutralise the situation.

Further reports indicated that a section of City Hall was also on fire while protesters stormed into and destroyed Timba XO nightclub, believed to be owned by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.

Protesters in Mombasa are said to have attacked State House in the Coast as well as those in Kisumu.

Travel Advisories.

Ahead of the protests, several foreign countries issued travel advisories cautioning their citizens to avoid specific areas.

The US travel advisory cautioned against Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) and other cities across the country.?

"Planned protests about the proposed Finance Bill of 2024 are expected to continue.? Specifically, there are calls for protests in the Central Business District of Nairobi and other cities throughout Kenya on Tuesday, June 25, and Thursday, June 27".??

"Organizers have stated that the events are intended to be peaceful.? However, large public gatherings can turn violent at any moment and spread to multiple sections of a city.? It is recommended to remain vigilant and to avoid large gatherings.? Traffic disruptions are expected," read a statement from the US.

Australia, on the other hand, harboured similar reservations.

"Demonstrations about the proposed Finance Bill 2024 are taking place across several cities in Kenya including Nairobi. We continue to advise exercising a high degree of caution in Kenya due to the threat of terrorism and violent crime," read part of the advisory.

Russia and the United Kingdom have also issued travel advisories to their citizens over the anti-finance bill protests in most parts of the country.

The Russian government urged its citizens against visiting crowded places in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri, Kisii, Embu, and Kericho.

The UK government also advised being in political gatherings and large crowds. UK citizens in Kenya should also monitor local media to know when and where the protests are ongoing.

Kenyans.co.ke continues to cover the protests as they unfold, follow them here.

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This newsletter was written by Derrick Kubasu and edited by Brian Muuo.

Washington Mito contributed to the content.

Graphics prepared by Adongo Kyalo.