Auma Obama, half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was teargassed by police during a live CNN interview on Tuesday while protesting Kenya’s controversial finance bill.
Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking to CNN’s Larry Madowo alongside a group of young protestors when the police fired teargas, forcing them to flee.
The protests, dubbed “7 Days of Rage,” have swept across Kenya, with citizens demonstrating against proposed tax hikes under the Finance Bill 2024.
President William Ruto has called for dialogue with the protesters, but security forces have been accused of abducting prominent Kenyans, including bloggers, content creators, and human rights defenders.
Amnesty International Kenya is investigating the disappearance of up to 12 people who were taken by uniformed or plainclothes officers ahead of Tuesday’s protests.
“We are horrified by some of the testimonies we have heard over the last 24 hours,” said Irũngũ Houghton, Amnesty Kenya’s executive director.
The protests come as Kenya gains global prominence, with US President Joe Biden designating the country a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday, a first for a sub-Saharan African nation. The move marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
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Auma Obama, a vocal advocate for social justice, was caught in the chaos while highlighting the plight of young Kenyans demanding their rights.
“I’m here because look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They are demonstrating with flags and banners,” she said before the teargas attack.
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