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Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters
in the capital Nairobi, the five rights groups, which include
Amnesty International and the Kenya Medical Association, said in
a joint statement late on Thursday.
The presence of spent cartridges implied the use of live rounds,
they said, adding that more than 100 protesters had been
arrested across Kenya.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said on
Friday it had documented the death of a man "allegedly as a
result of police shooting and several serious injuries suffered
by other demonstrators including police officers."
The 29-year-old man died during treatment to a wound on his
thigh at a hospital on Thursday night, according to a police
report seen by Reuters. The report did not state how he was
injured.
Nairobi county police commander Adamson Bungei did not answer
phone calls.
"We commend the several thousands of protesters, many of whom
are youthful, for picketing peacefully (and) exhibiting
restraint and decorum despite provocation by police," the rights
groups said.
Protesters want the government to completely abandon its finance
bill, saying it will choke the economy and raise the cost of
living for Kenyans who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The International Monetary Fund, however, says that the
government needs to increase revenues to reduce the budget
deficit and state borrowing.
Earlier this week the government softened its position a little,
with President William Ruto endorsing recommendations to scrap
some of the new levies, including on car ownership, bread,
cooking oil and financial transactions.
Despite the widespread demonstrations, which broke out in 19 of
Kenya's 47 counties, lawmakers passed the finance bill in its
second reading on Thursday, moving the contested tax proposals
to their next stage for approval.
Lawmakers are expected to meet on Tuesday to vote on the
proposed changes to the bill, which parliament's budget
committee says would blow a 200 billion Kenyan shilling ($1.56
billion) hole in the 2024/25 budget, and compel the government
to make spending cuts.
(Reporting by Hereward Holland and Humphrey Malalo, Editing by
William Maclean, Kim Coghill and Sharon Singleton)
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