A Kenya police officer shoots a tear gas canister toward protesters in Nairobi, Kenya on July 12, 2023 (AFP)

Two people were killed as a result of clashes between civilians and police in Nairobi, Kenya, during the second round of protests against tax hikes.

Tear gas was fired at the crowds to disperse the protesters in various cities such as Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa, according to Reuters and footage on Kenyan television stations.

The expressway linking Nairobi to its international airport witnessed some of the most intense clashes where fires were lit and flower boxes used to line the road were pulled to use as barricades.

Police officers confirmed to Reuters that they shot two protesters while patrolling the expressway. The tax rises President William Ruto signed last month may deepen the struggle that Kenyans already are suffering to afford basic necessities.

Bernard Ochieng, a protester in Nairobi's informal Kibera settlements, told Reuters, "Young guys, they cry that there was a promise, Mr. President. You promised them that you are going to help them, but you didn't."

Casualty after casualty

The tax hikes, which include doubling the fuel tax and introducing a levy for affordable housing, are said by the government to be an aid to growing debt repayments and job-creation initiatives.

Kenya's High Court ordered to suspend the implementation of the new taxes last month pending a legal case, but petrol prices were hiked anyways by the government.

More casualties were caused when at least six people were killed last week during protests called for by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Odinga condemned the police response and canceled a rally in Nairobi after alleging a plot to attack his followers.

In a media briefing, Odinga said, "In order to protect our people and avert more injury and loss of lives, we have taken the strategic decision not to proceed with the rally."

Last August, Odinga rejected the results of the presidential election, which announced Ruto's victory, describing the electoral process then as "a travesty and a blatant disregard of the constitution of Kenya," and accusing his rival of "stealing" the elections from him. The opposition leader also dubbed Ruto's government as "illegitimate".