There is as yet no resolution after an unprecedented week in Kenyan politics. What began as protests against a rushed-through finance bill has revealed a crisis of legitimacy within the executive, the legislature and the police that were sent to do the government’s bidding. And while the protesters have been very clear about their demands – reject the finance bill – outsiders who are accustomed to simplistic narratives about African politics have been scrambling and failing to understand what these events really mean.

Kenya's High Court has approved the use of military force to restore order, following days of anti-tax protests that at some point overwhelmed police.

More than 20 people have reportedly been killed in the nationwide protests that are largely led by young people opposed to government plans to increase taxes.

Armoured military vehicles patrolled streets in the capital, Nairobi, on Thursday as police fired tear gas to disperse protesters, who had threatened to storm the presidential palace.

Hundreds gathered for the funeral of a teenage demonstrator killed during Kenya’s antigovernment protests as the death toll from days of unrest rose to 27.

Three more protesters died overnight Friday as police continued a violent crackdown with the Kenyan High Court ordering security forces to halt the firing of live rounds, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas and water cannon into crowds.

The leader of Kenya, a key partner of the United States, gave in to domestic and international pressure on June 26 when he withdrew a bill that would have imposed tax hikes in a country enduring high inflation and a crippling cost-of-living crisis.

President William Ruto’s action came just a day after violent protests against the proposed law swept Nairobi, the capital of East Africa’s largest economy, leaving at least 22 dead and hundreds injured.

Deadly Kenyan protests that scuppered tax hikes and a failed coup amid fading economic prospects in Bolivia this week are violent reminders of the dangers posed by faltering economies and punishing austerity measures.

Bolivia's President and former economy minister Luis Arce fended off the putsch on Wednesday, but faces ongoing U.S. dollar shortages and soaring borrowing costs that pushed the country's credit rating to "junk."

The White House condemned on Wednesday the reported violence in Kenya, where medics said 23 people had died this week after violent clashes between police and protesters.

Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday withdrew planned tax rises, bowing to pressure from demonstrators who had stormed parliament and threatened more action this week.

"The United States is deeply concerned about and we condemn the reported violence in all its forms," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Kenyan President William Ruto said Wednesday that he will not sign a controversial finance bill that had sparked deadly protests in the country and left at least six people dead.

“Having reflected on the continuing conversation regarding the content of the finance bill 2024, and listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede, and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill,” Ruto said during a television address Wednesday.

Barack Obama’s half-sister was tear-gassed in the middle of a live interview with CNN amid protests in the Kenyan capital Tuesday.

Auma Obama, a Kenyan-British activist, showed up to support demonstrators taking part in nationwide protests against proposed tax hikes. Police opened fire with live ammunition and tear gas outside the parliament, with the chaos unfolding even as Obama tried to speak with CNN.

Police opened fire on demonstrators trying to storm Kenya's legislature on Tuesday, with at least five protesters killed, dozens wounded and sections of the parliament building set ablaze as lawmakers inside passed legislation to raise taxes.

In chaotic scenes, protesters overwhelmed police and chased them away in an attempt to storm the parliament compound. Flames could be seen coming from inside.

Kenyan President William Ruto meets President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday for the first state visit by an African leader in 15 years -- and at a time when the US faces geopolitical headwinds across the continent.

Biden will greet his Kenyan counterpart and join him in a meeting with business leaders ahead of Thursday's formal portion of the visit, which will start with an honor guard and culminate in a lavish dinner.

It's the first state visit by an African leader since 2008.