Former President Barack Obama’s half-sister, Auma Obama, was allegedly teargassed at a protest Tuesday in Kenya, CNN reported.
Other protesters attacked the Kenyan parliament after government representatives passed legislation that would raise taxes in the country, Reuters reported. At least five people were shot dead, while dozens of others were wounded.
Auma and her daughter were allegedly teargassed at the demonstrations, according to CNN. (RELATED: Obama World’s Fingerprints Are All Over Campus Chaos)
She spoke to CNN in defense of the protestors, saying “these young people are just trying to demonstrate for their rights.”
“We are being teargassed. We have flags and banners. Nothing else, nothing else. These young people have nothing else, just flags and banners — the Kenyan flag. How can you tear gas your own people? Listen to them. Listen to these children — they are the future. They are 80 percent of our population — 80 percent — if they decided to turn against us they can, and that is what they are doing now,” Auma said in the interview.
President Obama’s sister Auma Obama tear-gassed during Anti-Finance Bill 2024 demos
📽️ CNN pic.twitter.com/5I3BboId4l
— Ghafla Kenya (@GhaflaKenya) June 25, 2024
Multiple videos appear to show protesters inside the Kenyan parliament and Senate chambers.
‘Tunalala huku’ – Protestors inside Parliament buildings pic.twitter.com/EH815NWapI
— Ghafla Kenya (@GhaflaKenya) June 25, 2024
Protesters invade Senate Chambers inside Parliament Buildings pic.twitter.com/LzjBIYtPpR
— Ghafla Kenya (@GhaflaKenya) June 25, 2024
Video footage shows the aftermath of an alleged shooting outside the Kenyan Senate, where two young men were fatally shot, according to human rights media organization Sema Ukweli.
WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE
In a deadly turn of events, two young men have been shot dead outside the Senate precincts. As the death toll continues to rise, legislators have gone ahead to pass the Finance Bill with a vote of 195 for and 106 against.
Trigger Warning#SemaUkweli pic.twitter.com/1MzVjR4nyb— Sema Ukweli (@SemaUkweliKenya) June 25, 2024
Police arrested several paramedics, according to video footage released by CNN reporter Larry Madowo.
Police arrest paramedics in Nairobi live on CNN despite identifying themselves. We saw police beat some of them up pic.twitter.com/bvfh1QwyPh
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) June 25, 2024
The White House designated Kenya as a major non-NATO ally Monday for the purposes of the Arms Export Control Act, which allows the president to control the export of U.S. defense equipment or services through license agreements, according to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Insititute.
