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Kenyan police fire teargas at protest over MPs' pay demands

by Reuters
Tuesday, 14 May 2013 11:02 GMT

In this 2013 file photo, a disabled member of Kenya's civic society chants slogans along the street during a demonstration against the Members of Parliament's (MPs) plan to receive higher bonuses in the capital Nairobi. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

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NAIROBI, May 14 (Reuters) - Kenyan police in riot gear fired teargas and water cannon on Tuesday to disperse about 200 protesters gathered outside parliament to demonstrate against lawmakers' salary demands.

Civil rights groups organised the protest, drumming up support through social media, to highlight Kenyans' anger that politicians are demanding higher pay so soon after a broadly peaceful election on March 4.

The organisers said the "Occupy Parliament" march, was meant to help expose the political class in East Africa's largest economy widely regarded as greedy and corrupt.

Protesters gave live pigs pig blood to feed on at the gates of parliament in the capital Nairobi to symbolise legislators who they dubbed "MPigs".

"We have spilled the blood of the pigs to show that the MPs are greedy like pigs," said Boniface Mwangi before he and other organisers were arrested by police. (Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Louise Ireland)

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