Many cities are burning in Kenya as protests against new government taxes erupted into riots. What is the reason for this? Let’s see about that.
In India, the period from April to March is considered as a financial year. Similarly in Kenya, the period from July to June is considered as financial year.
In this situation, before the start of the new fiscal year, the Kenyan government tabled a fiscal bill in Parliament to raise taxes. It seems that the bill contained clauses to increase the duty on essential commodities like BREAD, cooking oil etc. The protest started by the people against it has turned into a riot.
The important message here is that Tik Tok videos are the reason people are taking to the streets to fight. None of us have forgotten the Chinese company TikTok.
Tik Tok was a game played by most Indians until it was banned in India on June 29, 2020. Many people use TikTok as a game and entertainment. Many who showed their talent within seconds got a chance even on the silver screen.
And some have used TikTok to spread good information. Where there is always good there is also bad… Tik Tok is no exception? We know that obscene videos and rumors have made their way onto TikTok.
Especially during the Corona period, various wrong information was spread on Tiktok. The central government banned Tik Tok to put an end to all that.
Although some countries including India did not allow Tik Tok, it was still used in Kenya. Many young people in the country have been using Tik Tok a lot.
As a video posted by one of them criticizing the Finance Bill went viral, others took hold of the same CONCEPT. Hashtags like ‘OCCUPY PARLIAMENT’, ‘REJECT FINANCE BILL 2024’ saw an increase in posts. Among them are the posts of Tik Tok celebrities.
All together fueled an anti-government sentiment among the people of Kenya. Consultation meetings for the grand protest were held on Tik Tok and the X platform.
Many people dressed in black marched towards the Kenyan parliament. Thousands protested outside Parliament demanding that MPs protest the Finance Bill.
Then many people entered the Parliament premises. The police opened fire to stop them. Enraged, the protesters set fire to the Parliament building. This made the place look like a battlefield.
According to reports, 5 people were killed in the firing and more than a hundred people were injured in the scuffle between the police and the protesters. This event is a testament to the impact and impact social media can have in the country.
