President William Ruto referred to Tuesday's nationwide demonstrations against the unpopular Finance Bill 2024 as treasonous late in the evening, following the demonstrations' culmination with crowds breaching police lines and entering Parliament buildings in Nairobi.

After lawmakers approved the bill, which now needs the president's signature to become law, irate mobs in the capital's protests tore through Parliament barricades and beyond the heavily armed police presence at around 3 p.m.

The ceremonial mace, which represents the legislature's power, was taken, and portions of the parliament building were set on fire and vandalized.

Amnesty International claims that when police opened fire on the crowd, at least five people were killed and over thirty more were injured.


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The adjacent City Hall, which houses the Nairobi Governor's office, was also set on fire a short while later.

In a late-night speech from State House in Nairobi that was broadcast on television, President Ruto claimed that "organized criminals" had taken over a "critical conversation" about the proposed law, which aims to raise taxes, and were causing chaos.

Declaring the events to be a threat to national security, the president ordered the military to support the police force's security enforcement and promised to take tough measures against the "planners, financiers, orchestrators and abetters of violence and anarchy."

The day's events resulted in over 125 injuries, according to HAKI Africa, a human rights organization.



WHAT IS TREASON?

Treason is a major offence against the State. It is defined as conduct which comprises a breach of allegiance owed to the State.

The crime falls under offences against public order as defined in Section 40 of the Penal Code.

Per the law, the State has a duty to protect its citizens and those who reside in it. Similarly, the citizens and the residents owe allegiance to the State and when this allegiance is broken, it is termed as treason against the State.

According to the Penal Code, it is treasonous for anyone who is loyal to the republic, whether it be in Kenya or abroad, to plot, imagine, create, or intend the president's death, disfigurement, or imprisonment.

Deposing the president through illegal means from his office or from the dignity of Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kenya is likewise treasonous.


It also includes using illegal means to topple the Kenyan government.

According to the law, publishing, writing, or engaging in any overt act or deed that conveys, utters, or declares any such compassings, imaginations, inventions, devices, or intentions is considered treasonous.

“Any person who, owing allegiance to the Republic levies war in Kenya against the Republic; or is adherent to the enemies of the Republic, or gives them aid or comfort, in Kenya or elsewhere; or instigates whether in Kenya or elsewhere any person to invade Kenya with an armed force, is guilty of the offence of treason,” the Constitution states.

Any person guilty of the offence of treason shall be sentenced to death, says the law.