Kenyan protesters return to Nairobi streets on Gen Z uprising anniversary
Marchers returned to the streets of Nairobi on 25 June to mark the second anniversary of the Gen Z uprising, with demonstrators carrying Kenyan flags and calling for justice for victims of police violence. Authorities deployed large numbers of officers and set up roadblocks around the capital, including near parliament, as businesses remained closed in parts of the city. The anniversary has again become a focal point for youth activism and demands for government accountability.
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The protests are tied to the June 2024 anti-tax unrest, when thousands of young people stormed parliament in Nairobi amid anger over rising living costs and a proposed finance bill. Police opened fire during that unrest, prompting national and international criticism and leaving a legacy that continues to shape public debate. On this anniversary, demonstrators accused the government of moving too slowly on compensation and investigations into alleged abuses, while President William Ruto has defended the compensation programme.
The renewed mobilisation matters because it combines remembrance, legal accountability and public order in a single event. Opposition figures have continued to press for greater transparency and justice for affected families, underlining the political sensitivity of the issue. The heavy security presence and closures in central Nairobi also show how the anniversary has become a test of the authorities' ability to manage dissent without further violence.
The current protests sit within a broader pattern of youth-led activism that emerged during the 2024 demonstrations and has remained visible since then. The earlier unrest was significant not only because of the scale of the crowds, but also because it forced the withdrawal of the controversial finance bill. That history gives the anniversary added weight, as it is now both a memorial for those killed and a renewed demand for answers from the state.
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What remains unclear is how many people will join the demonstrations beyond Nairobi and whether the police deployment will prevent further clashes. It is also not yet clear whether the government will offer any new steps on compensation or investigations in response to the protests. The next developments to watch are the scale of turnout, any arrests or injuries, and whether the commemorations remain peaceful as the day continues.
Police in Kenya have sealed off major roads leading into central Nairobi ahead of planned nationwide protests marking two years since the deadly Gen Z-led anti-government demonstrations. The closures disrupted movement into the city centre on Thursday morning, leaving commuters stranded and slowing access for motorists and pedestrians. Security forces also maintained a heavy presence in the capital as organisers prepared for demonstrations in Nairobi and other towns.
Roadblocks were reported along the Thika Super Highway, Mombasa Road, the Nairobi-Namanga Highway in Athi River, Kenyatta Avenue, Waiyaki Way and Jogoo Road. Authorities said they were stepping up surveillance in major urban centres and around strategic installations. The protests are being mobilised largely through social media, according to the supplied material, and are expected to spread to Mombasa and parts of central Kenya.
Clashes were reported in Githurai, near Nairobi, where footage showed flames and smoke rising after protesters lit fires. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds in the area, and several people were arrested in Nairobi while trying to reach the city. Businesses and schools were also reported closed in parts of the capital, adding to the disruption caused by the security operation and the planned demonstrations.
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The anniversary protests carry political and legal significance because they are tied to the 2024 anti-tax demonstrations, which drew thousands of people into the streets and ended with the storming of parliament and the withdrawal of a controversial finance bill. Protesters say they are seeking justice for more than 80 people killed and dozens injured during those demonstrations and during last year's anniversary protests. The current mobilisation also reflects continuing anger over how the earlier unrest was handled.
Families of some of those killed in 2024 have asked the government to allow peaceful remembrance, rather than renewed confrontation in the streets. Opposition figures Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa joined relatives to lay wreaths at parliament in honour of the dead. Their presence underlines how the anniversary has become both a memorial event and a fresh test of public order for the authorities.
What remains unclear is how widely the protests will spread and whether the heavy police deployment will prevent further clashes in Nairobi and beyond. It is also not yet clear how many people have been detained or injured in the early unrest. The next developments to watch are the scale of turnout in major towns, the response of security forces and whether the government opens any channel for the commemorations to proceed peacefully.
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