Protesters in Kenya hurled rocks at police on Wednesday, who responded by using tear gas to subdue protesters. Skirmishes in the country’s major cities are a part of ongoing demonstrations against Kenya’s high cost of living and increased taxes. Schools were closed in the capital Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa, and in the country’s third largest city, Kisumu. Nairobi was largely deserted, with police setting up checkpoints on roads leading to the State House, the official residence of Kenyan President William Ruto. For more on the long-term implications of this conflict, VOA’s Esther Githui-Ewart spoke to David Monda, professor of political science at City University of New York via Skype.