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STORY: Scenes of chaos in Nairobi on Tuesday after protests against higher taxes turned deadly.Video showed some bodies lifeless in the street after police fired on demonstrators trying to storm the legislature, killing at least five people and wounding dozens more.Footage obtained by Reuters showed some protesters inside Kenya's National Assembly chamber, demanding the resignation of Kenya's President William Ruto.In a televised address to the nation, Ruto said the security of Kenyans remained his "utmost priority" and blamed the violence on "dangerous criminals.""Today, Kenya experienced an unprecedented attack on its democracy, rule of law and the integrity of its constitutional institutions. An otherwise legitimate expression of the fundamental rights and freedoms of assembly, demonstration, picketing and petitioning of public authorities by a section of law abiding citizens of the Republic of Kenya was infiltrated and hijacked by a group of organized criminals."Earlier, protests overwhelmed security forces after Kenyan lawmakers approved legislation to raise taxes.Police opened fire after tear gas and water cannons failed to disperse the crowds.Sections of the parliament building were set ablaze.Local media said lawmakers were evacuated through an underground tunnel.Protests and clashes also took place in several other cities and towns across Kenya.In the coastal city of Mombasa, protesters voiced their opposition to the tax hikes.PROTESTER, DANIEL: "The taxes are so high. We are being taxed our salaries and any other thing that you are going to buy with the little that is remaining is also taxed...’’PROTESTER, EMILY: ‘’We are fighting for ourselves because our future is in our own hands, if at all we leave them to direct us on how they are going to direct us in this country, it is going to be woe unto us, and we are not going to let that happen…”Later on Tuesday, Kenya’s Defense Minister said the army had been deployed to help the police deal with a "security emergency" which had resulted in the "destruction and breaching of critical infrastructure."The finance bill aims to raise an additional $2.7 billion in taxes as part of an effort to lighten Kenya's heavy debt load, with interest payments alone consuming 37% of annual revenue.In Washington, the White House said the United States was closely monitoring the situation in Nairobi and urging calm.
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