Kenyans have been urged to stay at home on June 25, 2026, in remembrance of young people killed during anti-government protests over the past two years.
In a notice presented to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja at his office, the families of the Gen Z protesters who died during the demonstrations said they will lead peaceful activities across the country, including a march to Parliament Buildings in Nairobi, where they will lay flowers at places where some of their loved ones were killed.
They noted that there will be no school or work. “On Thursday, June 25, 2026, we have invited all Kenyans to stay at home; no school, no work, in remembrance of the children who were killed by the state in the past two years,” the organisers said.
They emphasised that they want assurances from the police leadership that citizens participating in the commemorations will be protected.
“We want assurance from the IG of police that he will protect life and property during the peaceful marches taking place across Kenya on June 25, 2026. No parent should bury their child because of taking part in a peaceful protest. No more killings,” they said on Thursday while presenting their notice.
They were accompanied by former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, Senior Counsel James Orengo, Senior Counsel Gitobu Imanyara and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) Executive Director Khelef Khalifa.
The organisers said the commemoration follows the deaths of young Kenyans during the June 2024 protests against the Finance Bill, when security officers were accused of using excessive force against demonstrators.
The families said their children were exercising their constitutional right to protest and present petitions to public officers over concerns about governance.
“In June 2024, during peaceful protests against the Finance Bill, Kenyan security officers killed our sons. Our children were exercising their constitutional right to protest and deliver petitions to public officers to challenge poor governance. They were murdered in cold blood, many of them shot in the back while fleeing. Some were shot in the head to illustrate that the police intended to kill, not to apprehend the protestors,” they said.
The group said the planned activities are meant to honour those who lost their lives and push for justice, while also calling on authorities to respect citizens’ constitutional rights during peaceful demonstrations.
They noted that similar activities will take place in different towns across the country as Kenyans mark the anniversary of the protest movement that changed the country’s political conversation and increased calls for accountability and change.
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