Young demonstrators protest cost of living in Nairobi

A group of Kenyan protestors led by comedian Eric Omondi blocked Nairobi’s Parliament Road on Tuesday (Feb. 21).

They protested against the high cost of living.

Chanting slogans they held placards written ‘high cost of electricity and cooking oil' among other things.

According to local media, the demonstrators demanded an audience with the National Assembly Speaker. Indeed, they reportedly alleged that the Assembly conned the nation by legislating and passing a bill which resulted in higher levels of taxation.

However, the group was not granted an audience.

Police lobbed teargas to disperse the shirtless protesters.

Some demonstrators including Omondi were reportedly arrested.

The attempted forceful entry was prompted by the failure of the speaker to grant the group audience from within the precincts of Parliament.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the inflation rate stood at 8.9% in January.

Late last year, the board of the International Monetary Fund, approved a disbursement of over 400 Million $ to Kenya.