Hello and welcome to Newsa from the BBC World Service.

We're coming to you live from London.

I'm James Menendez.

24 hours ago the streets of the Kenyan capital were full of protesters furious

about the government's plans to raise taxes to help pay the interest on the

country's vast public and foreign debt. Some of the crowds stormed Parliament forcing MPs to flee. Part

of the complex was set on fire. President William Ruto said violence in

anarchy would not be tolerated and he deployed the army at least

22 people who were killed in the clashes he also said he would press ahead with

signing the controversial finance bill into law.

Well fast forward to today and that determination seems to have crumbled in dramatic fashion.

A few hours ago Mr. Ruto appeared on TV to announce that the bill was being abandoned.

Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this finance bill 2024.

I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be with a drone.

So why the change of be with a drone.

So why the change of heart? Barbara Pletasha is our correspondent in the Kenya capital Nairobi.

Well, what he said was that basically the people weren't behind him.

He said, I lead a government, but I also lead a people and the people have spoken.

So, but the people have been speaking for a little while already.

You had public consultations with various opposition expressed,

also from business actually, for various parts of the tax bill.

And then these massive protests that sort of came out of the blue as far as the government

...