Auma Obama Teargassed During Live CNN Interview at Kenya Protests

Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was teargassed by police during a live CNN interview in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday. Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, was speaking alongside a group of young protestors about the controversial finance bill when the police fired teargas at the crowd.

In dramatic footage captured by CNN, Obama can be heard saying,

“I can’t even see anymore, we’re being teargassed.”

The group was peacefully protesting the proposed tax hikes, which have sparked nationwide demonstrations and a planned “total shutdown” of the country.

Kenya is facing a wave of protests, dubbed the “7 Days of Rage,” as citizens demand the government reconsider the Finance Bill 2024. President William Ruto has called for dialogue with the protestors, but security forces have been accused of abducting prominent Kenyans, including bloggers, human rights defenders, and a parliamentary staffer.

Amnesty International Kenya is investigating the disappearance of up to 12 people who were taken from their homes or offices ahead of Tuesday’s protests. “We are horrified by some of the testimonies we have heard over the last 24 hours,” said Irüngü Houghton, executive director of Amnesty Kenya.

“We have about 12 people unaccounted for who have been picked up, in many cases, by people who are uniformed or not uniformed.”

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The protests come at a time when Kenya’s global standing is gaining prominence, with US President Joe Biden designating the country a “major non-NATO ally” on Monday. This designation marks the first time a sub-Saharan African nation has received this status.

Despite the government’s efforts to quell the protests, demonstrators remain determined to have their voices heard.

Auma Obama’s presence at the protest and her subsequent teargassing have drawn international attention to the situation in Kenya. As the protests continue, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.