Kenya Braces for Return of Gen Z Protests — How Did the Movement Begin?
Yashraj Sharma
Thousands of Kenyans are bracing for protests as the nation marks two years since the Gen Z protest movement that shook President William Ruto's government. More than 120 people have died in the movement. The government has warned against the planned protests and deployed a large police presence.
Thousands of Kenyans are bracing for protests as the nation marks two years since the Gen Z protest movement on Thursday (26 June), also remembering more than 120 people killed in a movement that once ignited the spirit of an entire generation of Kenyan youth two years ago.
Sparked by a controversial finance bill in 2024, young people — known as 'Gen Z' — mobilized against the soaring cost of living, unemployment, and government corruption, demanding President William Ruto's resignation. While that goal was not achieved, the government was forced to withdraw the tax bill. However, according to experts, deeper challenges such as economic inequality remain unaddressed.
Last year's commemoration marked one year of a movement that turned bloody as security forces cracked down on protesters, killing over 60 people. This year, President Ruto's government has repeatedly warned about the planned protests beginning Thursday and has deployed a large number of police officers. As last year, the Gen Z protests are expected to take place in major cities across the country, including the capital Nairobi.
Tensions have been rising in Nairobi for some time. Ruto's government has enacted a new Finance Act 2026, described as a growth- and investment-friendly law aimed at expanding the economy. Ruto argues the act marks a shift from aggressive revenue mobilization to supporting businesses and stimulating private-sector investment, calling opposition to the bill 'propaganda.' Speaking at an event in Nairobi on 19 June, the president urged people not to protest on Thursday, asking them to continue their daily routines and focus on productivity and economic growth. He stressed: 'Children will go to school because it is their right. Workers will go to work because that is how we improve national productivity.'
Meanwhile, senior opposition figure Siaya Governor James Orengo called on people to attend remembrance ceremonies, including a march to government buildings in Nairobi and candlelight vigils nationwide. 'For those who cannot join the march, show solidarity by staying at home… let the silence on our empty streets be a clear testimony against tyranny,' he wrote on social media X. 'We will not forget, and we will not back down. See you on 25 June!'
On justice for victims, last week President Ruto announced a compensation fund of nearly $15 million for 1,100 people affected by violent protests between 2017 and 2025. He said the payments were 'an acknowledgment that harm occurred,' but did not offer an apology. Gillian Munyao, mother of 29-year-old Rex Masai — one of the first to die in the June 2024 protests — said: 'He is covering up his wrongs. He just wants us to be silent with that little money. I don't see justice anywhere… Why pay us without prosecuting the perpetrators?' So far, only three cases related to deaths in the 2024 protests and one from 2025 have been brought to court, and no police officer has been convicted. International human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch note that dozens of government critics were also abducted during 2024 and 2025, with many never seen again.
