Nairobi (Diplomat.so) - Kenya Police Service blocked major roads into central Nairobi on Thursday, June 25, deploying riot units as Gen Z-led protests marking the 2024 anti-tax movement anniversary spread nationwide. Security forces sealed highways with checkpoints, leaving the central business district largely deserted and commuters stranded on outskirts.
Clashes were reported in several Nairobi suburbs as police fired tear gas to disperse groups of protesters who responded by throwing stones. Local television footage showed smoke and small fires in Githurai, while officers on horseback and in armored vehicles maintained roadblocks across key routes. Several arrests were made as demonstrators attempted to access the city centre, and smaller gatherings were reported in Mombasa under heavy police escort.
Nour Warsame, a resident of Garissa, told Diplomat News Network that while citizens respected constitutional rights to protest, frequent demonstrations were damaging livelihoods and stability. "As the people of Garissa, we cannot participate in demonstrations although it is allowed in our constitution,” he said. "Our country is bigger than all of us. If we demonstrate, businesses and ordinary citizens will be affected through destruction or disruption.”
Daniel Joseph, a boda boda operator in Garissa, said economic pressures shaped his reluctance to join protests but acknowledged public frustration over rising living costs. "We are not participating in demonstrations because we are working to earn a living,” he said. "Fuel prices have skyrocketed, making life unbearable, and the government should address the cost of living.”
Charles Otieno questioned the protests’ objectives, describing them as politically influenced and lacking clear direction. "I think this demonstration has no relevance at all,” he said. "They have become a political tool for elites, and we cannot allow chaos under the guise of protest.”
President William Ruto said Kenyans had a right to protest but warned that destruction of property would not be tolerated, as opposition figures including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa joined families of victims in Nairobi to lay wreaths at parliament. The president has also proposed a compensation fund for victims of protest-related abuses, a move rejected by some human rights groups citing transparency concerns.
The protests stem from the June 2024 anti-tax demonstrations that escalated into deadly confrontations and the storming of parliament, leading to the withdrawal of the finance bill. Subsequent rights investigations alleged excessive use of force and reported enforced disappearances, intensifying scrutiny of security operations and public trust in state institutions.
Authorities remained on high alert as organizers planned further demonstrations across major towns, with security deployments expected to continue until crowds disperse.
