LIVE UPDATES: Cop Blows Up His Fingers in #OccupyParliament Protests

The Members of Parliament (MP) will debate and vote on the contentious Finance Bill 2024.

The bill has met opposition from sectors including politicians, religious leaders and Kenyans at large.

As a result, Kenyans on social media led by activist Boniface Mwangi vowed to hold a vigil outside Parliament building on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.

Mwangi said the protest dubbed #OccupyParliament will kick off at 11 am until the MPs will vote on the bill.

President William Ruto is currently holding a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting at State House, Nairobi to mobilize the MPs to support the bill.

The bill has not only met opposition from the Azimio Coalition but also from a section of the ruling coalition.

9:46am: Nairobi Region Police Commander Adamson Bungei dismisses the plan to organize protests in Nairobi CBD. Bungei confirmed that no one applied for a gathering or picketing permit as expected.

10:30am: Security beefed up; police deployed around Parliament Road in Nairobi. Sections of the street have been barricaded ahead of planned anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.

10:40am: Protesters arrested in Nairobi CBD. The protesters are heard asking the MPs to shoot down the Finance Bill.

10:50am: Police have been deployed around the National Archives in Nairobi CBD where protesters were to converge before marching to Parliament.

10:55am: Popular online activist Hanifa Safia Adan known as ‘HoneyFarsafi’ arrested while participating in the #RejectFinanceBill2024 picket in Nairobi CBD.

11:00am: Boniface Mwangi “Protest starts at 12:00 pm.We are studying the streets to see where to start. We shall still protest against the finance bills. We are ready to be jailed!”

11:04am: A woman is forced to open her bag and show whatever she is carrying as police patrol Nairobi streets ahead of the #OccupyParliament protests

10:25am: Police teargas protesters in Nairobi CBD.

10:30am: Kenya Kwanza leaders led by President Ruto announce issues that have been dropped from the Finance Billi 2024.

11:40am: National Assembly Majority Leader, Kimani Ichung’wah, the bill will be tabled today, Tuesday, June 18, but the debate will commence tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19.

12:15pm: Boniface Mwangi reveals mpesa account number to support cash bail of arrested protesters. The Mpesa Number is 810896, use your name as the account number.

12:33pm: Protesters are heard chanting “Ruto must Got” as they engage anti-riot police within Nairobi CBD.

12:42pm: MPs start arriving in Parliament for the tabling of the Finance Bill 2024.

1:05pm: Protesters engage police in running battles as they attempt to access Parliament Buildings.

1:06pm: Boniface Mwangi “They have arrested people in our office. Our office gate is locked, and all the people leaving my office have been arrested.”

1:13pm: Police transfer arrest #OccupyParliament protesters, including activist Njeri Migwi, to another vehicle

1:06pm: Police harass journalists covering the #OccupyParliament protests. The journalists, working for the Nation Media Group (NMG), are heard complaining that their colleague has been arrested even though he had the Media Council of Kenya (Press) card.

1:15pm: NTV’s cameraperson Maureen Mureithi has been injured after being hit by a water cannon along Cardinal Otunga Street.

1:20pm: Standard Media Group (SMG) Video Editor Justus Mwangi journalist falls off a moving police vehicle in a failed arrest.

1:23pm: TV Journalist injured after police officers hit him with a teargas canister.

1:27pm: Police arrest standard media group journalists covering protests.

Also Read: Finance Bill: Govt Drops Contentious Tax Proposals After Pressure

1:54pm: Boniface Mwangi “Scenes at our offices. The police officers from Kilimani have arrested everyone in my car. They have also taken our T-shirts, and placards. All the arrested people have been taken to Kilimani Police Station. They have stolen the front number plates of my car and impounded it.”

2:00pm: Dr Miguna Miguna, “It’s a shame that the police chose to assault citizens exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly in Nairobi today. Peaceful protests are entrenched in the constitution. They aren’t privileges granted by the government.”

2:00pm: Influencer and podcaster Murugi Munyi arrested while protesting in Nairobi CBD.

2:39pm: Embakasi East MP Babu Owino condemns mass arrests of protestors by police, demands their release citing constitutional rights to picket.

2:49pm: LSK President Faith Odhiambo visits Central Police Station, condemns arbitrary arrest of Kenyans protesting against Finance Bill 2024.

2:58pm: Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga “Your Excellency Is sending the police to brutalize Kenyans in a constitutionally mandated protest what you mean by “robust public engagement”? Why is your government subverting the Constitution you swore solemnly to uphold, defend, and respect?”

Also Read: Boniface Mwangi: Inspiring Story of Former House Boy & Hawker Leading Finance Bill Protests 

3:00pm: Protesters sing liberation songs. Amidst the noise and teargas, a woman is captured praying asking God to come and save the country. “Come and save this generation,” the woman says.

3:39pm: LSK President Faith Odhiambo “Police have decided to teargas Advocates and LSK council members who were at the Central Police Station seeking the release of innocent protestors. This is a new low for the National Police Service. Our resolve remains unchanged; we must stamp out impunity.”

3:40pm: National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has provided a timeline for the debate and voting on the Finance Bill 2024. Finance Committee Chairperson Kimani Kuria will table the bill on Wednesday, June 19, at 9:30 am. Thereafter, the MPs will debate the bill until noon on Thursday, June 20. The MPs have until 1 pm on Thursday to file their amendments, with voting scheduled for the afternoon.

4:07pm: Dr Miguna Miguna, “Revolution will be televised!”

4:15pm: A police officer has blown off his fingers while trying to throw a teargas canister to protesters. In the video trending on social media, the police officer is seen carrying the canister before it blows off in his hands. The other officers who were with him ran for safety.

4:56pm: Boniface Mwangi, “Tuko Town. #OccupyParliament Let’s do this.”

5:26pm: Activist Hanifa Safia released from Central Police Station.

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