Kenyan President William Ruto has blamed "a group of organized criminals" for the storming of parliament following peaceful protests.
The protests had been "infiltrated and hijacked," Ruto said in a televised address on Tuesday.
The protests were sparked by a new tax law that introduces additional tax burdens and increases existing taxes. Since Tuesday morning, thousands of people across Kenya have been demonstrating against the legislation.
By the afternoon, the protests had escalated into chaos, violence, looting and arson. In several cities, buildings belonging to members of parliament who voted in favour of the law were set on fire. According to Kenyan human rights groups, at least two people were killed during the unrest.
"Kenya experienced an unprecedented attack on its democracy, rule of law and the integrity of its ... institutions," said Ruto. "Today's events mark a critical turning point on how we respond to grave threats to our national security."
The government has mobilized all the resources at its disposal to ensure that the incidents are not repeated, the president said. In the evening, Defence Minister Aden Duale announced that the military would be deployed to support the police.