Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ It has been a year since Kenya‘s record Gen Z-led protests shook the nation, and tensions are building ahead of a planned memorial rally in Nairobi on this Wednesday. The date is a flashpoint in the country’s struggle over governance, accountability, and youth activism.
Thousands of young Kenyans streamed into the streets on June 25, 2024, to protest against the government’s controversial Finance Bill, which had proposed draconian tax hikes. The demonstration built to a crescendo in a climactic storming of Parliament in Nairobi. Police used live bullets, and the clashes left more than 60 dead, with dozens missing. President William Ruto withdrew the bill the following day under intense pressure.
Twelve months later, families of the victims, alongside youth movements and civil society groups, are returning to the streets, not to protest legislation, but to demand justice. “We are gathering to honour our children and seek accountability,” said one bereaved mother in Nairobi’s Mathare neighbourhood.
Local human rights monitoring organization Civicus Monitor also recorded 82 cases of enforced disappearances during the 2024 unrest. Missing Voices, a local lobby group, reported 159 cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the year, a rise of 24% compared to 2023.
Wednesday’s memorial protest will probably be one of the largest since last year’s protests. Nairobi police pledged to hold a safe and peaceful rally. However, recent events have worsened public distrust of the police.
The murder two weeks ago of 31-year-old activist blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody revived outrage nationwide. Authorities detained him for allegedly “inciting unrest” on social media. People have compared his death to past cases of custodial abuse. Protests broke out nationwide, climaxing in another police shooting, this time of an innocent bystander in Nairobi, who is still in critical condition. Since then, authorities have taken the responsible policeman into custody.
Civil society leaders, faced with raw emotions and dwindling trust in institutions, are urging caution while remaining pragmatic about the potential consequences. “This is not simply a bill,” said young organiser Aisha Kimani. “It is about the right to live, to speak, to protest without fear of death or disappearance.”.
The world eagerly awaits the approaching anniversary date in Kenya. The Gen Z movement, incubated in the flames of crisis, now demands systemic reform, asking not just for memory, but change.
