Kenya’s parliament is set on fire as protests against the finance bill escalate

A section of Kenya’s parliament caught fire, minutes after protesters broke through police lines to storm the complex.

Live footage broadcast on local television showed smoke rising from inside the complex.

There were reports of people being injured when police fired gunshots to disperse the crowds.

A human rights organization said it witnessed the shooting of four demonstrators, and said that one person was killed. This has not been confirmed.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission said: “Such actions are unacceptable and constitute a serious violation of human rights.”

Images also emerged of a police truck on fire nearby.

Thousands of demonstrators engaged in ongoing battles with the police, as security officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Protests also broke out in other cities and towns across the country.

Businesses were closed and transportation was disrupted.

The protests came as lawmakers approved a controversial financial bill that imposed unpopular taxes.

The youth-led demonstrators called on MPs to reject the proposed tax increases.

The government, which has rolled back some of the most controversial measures, says new taxes are needed to fund spending and debt relief programmes.

Earlier, an Agence France-Presse journalist was quoted as saying that he heard a police officer asking his colleagues to “take the rubber bullets out of the box.”

The police then reportedly began shooting into the air and at the protesters.

Officers were deployed to protect key government facilities, including Parliament. However, the demonstrators were able to enter the complex.

A BBC correspondent in Nairobi says the crowds were much larger than in previous protests and the police appeared exhausted.

The demonstrators were chanting, “Reject the finance bill,” and pledged to reach Parliament.

“There are some things that are difficult to understand, like how can you impose a 16% tax on bread? How can you impose a tax on sanitary pads?” Derek Moatu, 24, told the BBC.

He was referring to some controversial measures that were initially proposed, as the government has since said it would not impose a tax on bread and would only impose a tax on imported health items.

Ahead of the demonstrations, lawyers and human rights groups expressed concern about arbitrary arrests and intimidation of activists during previous protests.

This came amid reports that at least five prominent social media users had been kidnapped at dawn, hours before the demonstrations.

The protests have attracted the attention of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine and South African President Julius Malema, who have expressed their support.

At least two people died in protests and hundreds more were injured in last week’s demonstrations, which were largely peaceful.

Mr Ruto acknowledged the protests and promised talks to address the concerns of young people who are at the forefront of the protests.