Next week, Kenyans across the country will pause to remember one of the most painful and defining moments in our nation’s democratic journey.
It will be two years since June 25, 2024, the day young Kenyans protesting against the Finance Bill 2024 outside Parliament were met with deadly force from the very state that was supposed to protect them.
What began as a peaceful expression of constitutional rights ended in bloodshed as security forces unleashed terror and violence on unarmed citizens whose only crime was demanding a better future for themselves and their country.
For many families, June 25 is not just another date on the calendar. It is a day that changed their lives forever. It is the day sons and daughters never returned home. It is the day dreams were abruptly cut short.
It is the day parents received the devastating phone calls that every parent fears. Two years later, the grief remains as raw as it was on that tragic evening. The pain has not faded because justice has never arrived.
The constitution of Kenya guarantees every citizen the right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate and present petitions to public authorities. The young people who gathered on that day were exercising a constitutional right.
They were not enemies of the state. They were not criminals. They were patriotic citizens who believed they had a voice and a stake in the future of their country. Yet many paid for that belief with their lives.
What makes the tragedy even more heartbreaking is that the killings did not end on June 25, 2024. Since that day, whenever Kenyans have taken to the streets to express their grievances, security forces have repeatedly responded with excessive force.
Tens of Kenyans have lost their lives during demonstrations across the country. Families have buried loved ones. Others continue to search for answers regarding those who disappeared.
The cycle of violence has continued largely unchecked, leaving many Kenyans wondering whether exercising constitutional freedoms has become a death sentence.
Sadly, despite overwhelming public concern and repeated calls for accountability, many of the officers responsible for these killings continue to walk free. Families of victims have waited patiently for investigations, prosecutions and justice. Instead, they have encountered delays, excuses and silence.
The blood thirsty officers who brutally and mercilessly extinguished innocent lives continue to enjoy their freedom while grieving families continue to carry the burden of loss.
The government, meanwhile, appears content to look away as impunity takes root within institutions that are supposed to uphold the law.
As the second anniversary approaches, numerous groups, organisations, families of victims, social justice movements and ordinary citizens have organised various activities to commemorate the week. Some will hold memorial services and prayer gatherings.
Others will conduct public discussions, candle light vigils, artistic performances, peaceful processions and moments of reflection. Every group has the right to commemorate the occasion in the manner it considers most appropriate, provided that such activities remain peaceful and lawful.
What is important is that the country remembers. This is not a week about political parties or political interests. It is a week dedicated to memory, justice and national reflection.
It is a week to honour those young Kenyans who paid the ultimate price while standing up for what they believed was right. It is a week to remind ourselves that democracy carries responsibilities and that the freedoms we enjoy today were secured through sacrifice.
As we remember our fallen comrades, our demands remain clear. First, there must be justice and accountability.
All police officers responsible for the killings must be arrested and prosecuted without any further delay. A society that fails to punish unlawful killings sends a dangerous message that some lives matter less than others.
Second, the Government of Kenya must issue a formal public apology for the killings that occurred during the Gen Z protests. Nations heal when they acknowledge their mistakes. Refusing to acknowledge wrongdoing only deepens wounds and prolongs suffering for victims and their families.
Third, there must be guarantees of non repetition. Never again should innocent Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights be met with bullets. Meaningful legal, policy and institutional reforms must be implemented to ensure future generations never experience similar brutality at the hands of the state.
Fourth, June 25 should be declared a national day of remembrance and a public holiday dedicated to the Gen Z heroes. Kenya should also establish a national monument where future generations can learn about the courage, sacrifice and patriotism displayed by those young men and women.
Finally, there must be realistic and transparent compensation for survivors and the families of those who were killed or disappeared. While no amount of money can replace a lost life, compensation can help restore dignity and provide support to families whose livelihoods and futures were shattered forever.
As we reflect on the events of June 25, 2024, we cannot help but think about the empty seats at family tables across the country. We think about mothers who still cry when they look at photographs of their children. We think about fathers who continue to wait for justice. We think about brothers, sisters and friends whose lives were permanently altered by a tragedy that should never have happened.
We cannot simply move on and pretend that nothing happened. We cannot allow the memory of our comrades to fade into history. We cannot allow those who died for their country to be forgotten.
Their names deserve to be remembered. Their sacrifice deserves to be honoured. Their courage deserves to be celebrated. Above all, they deserve to be immortalised in the story of our nation.
Long after we are gone, future generations must know that there once lived a brave generation of young Kenyans who stood up for justice, accountability and a better country.
They paid the ultimate price, but their sacrifice was not in vain. Their blood will continue to water the tree of democracy in Kenya for many years to come and their legacy will endure long after the wounds of today have healed.
