Police have fired tear gas to disperse Kenyan protesters demonstrating in the capital against some of the government’s proposed measures to impose new or higher taxes on items including fuel.

One of the key contested measures in the unpopular finance bill is a new 3% housing fund levy for all salaried workers and to increase value added tax on fuel to 16%.

The bill also calls for taxes on beauty products, crypto-currencies and earnings by social media influencers. They are among the measures that have been opposed by many Kenyans.

The dozens of protesters had sought to gather at a park in the centre of Nairobi before marching to parliament to urge MPs to reject the tax proposals.

Local media reported that some of the protesters were arrested.

Legislators are set to debate the bill on Thursday, amid warnings issued by President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua against those opposed to the proposals.
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