Thousands of protesters storm Kenya's Parliament in opposition to tax hikes.

Thousands of demonstrators stormed the Kenya's parliament on Tuesday, destroying parts of the structure in protest over a proposed budget package that would hike taxes.

Kenya is experiencing widespread protests against proposed tax increases, culminating in Tuesday's "total shutdown" of the country, which swiftly turned violent when police fired tear gas and live bullets on protestors.

An online outpouring of rage over tax rises has erupted into a national protest movement demanding a political reform.

On Tuesday, police opened fire on crowds gathered around parliament and later broke into the assembly compound, just minutes after members approved the disputed tax increases.

The Kenya Medical Association reported on Wednesday that at least 23 people had been killed across the country, while another 30 were being hospitalized for bullet wounds. During a countrywide address after parliament was set on fire, President William Ruto stated that the events of Tuesday posed a serious threat to "national security" and that the debate over the bill had been "hijacked by dangerous people."

"It is not in order, or even conceivable, that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people, their elected representatives, and the institutions established under our Constitution and expect to go scot-free,” the president said.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga called for the government to “immediately stop the violence its agencies are meting out on citizens.”

In a statement on X, Odinga also demanded the arrest of police officers who are accused of shooting and killing protestors, as well as the urgent withdrawal of the country's contentious finance plan.

International leaders have also pleaded for restraint. On Tuesday, the United Nations Secretary General called on Kenya's police and security personnel to "exercise restraint," his spokeswoman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that he was "deeply concerned over the reported violence that we've seen."

The African Union Commission also called on all stakeholders to refrain from further violence. A statement from the body said its chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat urges “all stakeholders to exercise calm and refrain from further violence. The chairperson also appeals to national stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to address the contentious issues that led to the protests in the supreme interest of Kenya.”