Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was teargassed by Kenyan police during a live interview with CNN on Tuesday while protesting against the country's controversial finance bill. The incident occurred in Nairobi as Auma Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking to CNN's Larry Madowo alongside a group of young protesters. "I can't even see anymore, we're being teargassed," Obama said in a footage captured by a CNN team on the ground. At least five people have been killed and dozens injured in gunfire as police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators outside the Kenyan parliament seeking to prevent the passage of the bill. The protests in Kenya have been sparked by the Finance Bill 2024, which has led to nationwide demonstrations under the banner of "7 Days of Rage" against proposed tax hikes that have generated additional days of unrest around the country. BREAKING: Auma Obama is tear-gassed by Kenya police live on CNN as she joins peaceful protests against over-taxation pic.twitter.com/XLpsvLlDyz — Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) June 25, 2024 "I'm here because look at what's happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They are demonstrating with flags and banners," Obama said. Kenyan President William Ruto has said that he wants to have a dialogue with the protesters and that he is "proud" of them. However, security forces have been accused of abducting well-known Kenyans, especially those with sizable social media followings. Amnesty International Kenya said it is investigating the whereabouts of up to 12 people who were "abducted in the middle of the night" ahead of Tuesday's planned protests. "We are horrified by some of the testimonies we have heard over the last 24 hours. We have about 12 people unaccounted for who have been picked up, in many cases, by people who are uniformed or not uniformed," Amnesty Kenya executive director Irungu Houghton told CNN. The list includes bloggers, content creators, human rights defenders, a doctor, and a parliamentary staffer. The protests come as Kenya's standing gains global prominence, with US President Joe Biden designating the country as a "major non-NATO ally" on Monday, the first sub-Saharan African nation to receive this status. In May, Biden announced his decision to elevate Kenya to this designation while hosting President Ruto at the White House for a grand state visit, celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
