{"id":965514,"date":"2024-07-13T06:02:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-13T06:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/dm-simulator-v2\/?p=965514"},"modified":"2024-07-13T06:02:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-13T06:02:01","slug":"kenyas-police-chief-resigns-following-criticism-over-protests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elections.sabc.co.za\/elections2024\/kenyas-police-chief-resigns-following-criticism-over-protests\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenya’s police chief resigns following criticism over protests"},"content":{"rendered":"
Kenya’s police<\/a> chief Japhet Koome resigned on Friday following intense criticism of officers’ conduct during anti-government protests last month in which 39 people were killed.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
President William Ruto’s office announced Koome’s resignation the day after he fired nearly his entire cabinet, bowing to the demands of protesters. Koome’s deputy Douglas Kanja has been made acting police chief, it said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
The demonstrations against proposed tax increases began peacefully but turned violent. Police fired tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition, and some protesters\u00a0stormed parliament.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Ruto scrapped\u00a0the tax increases but protests have continued, with some activists demanding the president’s resignation as well as far-reaching political changes to tackle corruption and poor governance.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
They have also accused police of using excessive force and abducting dozens of people as they tried to stop the protests.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Ruto, in office since September 2022, said in an event hosted on social media platform X last week that reported abductions were regrettable and that any officers found responsible would be held to account.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Kenyan President William Ruto dissolves entire cabinet after cost-of-living protests: Ashtone Osore<\/strong><\/div>\n