Two Years After Gen Z-Led Protests, Kenyan Families Still Seek Justice

Nairobi, Kenya – June 25, 2024, is a day many Kenyan families remember in silence. A youth-led protest against the Finance Bill escalated into nationwide demonstrations, with protesters storming the Parliament complex amid unrest. In the ensuing violence, many were killed and many others went missing, according to human rights groups and official statistics. Two years later, numerous families say they are still searching for answers.

Human Rights Watch's World Report 2026 states that 26 people linked to the 2024 anti-finance bill protests and 15 linked to 2025 protests remain missing.

On Tuesday, families of the deceased, along with civil society groups and the public, held a memorial march in Nairobi to mark the anniversary and call for accountability and police reform.

“I don't like watching photos and videos of Denzel. They are painful reminders of my son. When an anniversary like this comes, I find myself crying. That's why I stay away from public conversations about these things,” James Otieno, father of Denzel Omondi, told Al Jazeera.

Denzel Omondi, 23, went missing several days after joining the #OccupyParliament protest. His family says he was arrested by police at a Nairobi home where he was staying with relatives, shortly after posting a video showing protesters inside Parliament. Otieno said no one has been held accountable for his son's death and the family is still awaiting progress in investigations.

Denzel was among 62 people killed in the 2024 anti-finance bill protests, according to official and human rights group statistics. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) says only three of the 62 deaths have gone to court.

In a statement on June 22, IPOA said three cases are in trial, three have been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review, one is under internal legal review, four were closed after internal investigation, five closed on ODPP directions, and 46 are still under investigation. IPOA Vice Chair Anne Wanjiku Mwangi said the investigations involve multiple agencies and depend on evidentiary thresholds and prosecutorial review.

For Susan Wangari Wanjohi, the search for her son Emmanuel Kamau Mukuria has lasted two years. Mukuria went missing on June 25, 2024, after being arrested at Imenti House in Nairobi's central business district. He was 24. According to Wanjohi, her son left home looking for casual work. Friends later told her they saw him arrested by police. “There is no prison in this country that I haven't visited to look for my child. I know he is alive somewhere and I just want the government to return him to me no matter his condition,” she said.

The 2026 World Report on Human Rights says at least 41 people linked to the Kenyan protests remain missing, including 26 from 2024 and 15 from 2025. Concerns over enforced disappearances have risen following reported abductions in Nairobi's Mathare area. Authorities have also warned against anniversary marches, saying they could lead to violence, according to public statements cited in local media.

The Kenyan government has launched a compensation program for victims of human rights violations linked to protests and demonstrations from 2013 to 2025. The program covers 348 verified victims, with a total allocation of $3.46 million in the first phase. Families of 115 deceased will receive $23,148 each, totaling $2.66 million. Twenty-four severely injured victims will receive $7,730 each, while 137 moderately injured will get $3,865 each. Affected families have criticized the program, saying financial compensation does not address accountability.

Human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Missing Voices Coalition have documented allegations of excessive force, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances during Kenyan protests. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said it recorded at least 63 deaths, 610 injuries, and 74 enforced disappearances during the 2024 protest period, among them 26 people still missing.

“Even if you give me $20 million, it cannot compensate for my son's life. What we want is accountability. Those responsible should be brought to court. That is the only justice we want,” James Otieno said. “Is participating in a public protest or expressing an opinion worth dying for? I don't think so.”