Kenyans plan to hold a nationwide march on Wednesday, marking the first anniversary of the historic storming of parliament by protesters, to honor those who lost their lives during the 2023 anti-government protests. However, there are concerns that the march might escalate into unrest.
Human rights activists, family members of the deceased and missing protesters, and young Kenyans, who were central to last year’s protests, have mobilized both online and offline. Opposition leaders have referred to the day as a “people’s public holiday,” while the government has warned against any attempts to disturb public order.
The 2023 demonstrations, which resulted in 60 deaths and numerous disappearances and abductions, initially began over proposed tax increases. They started peacefully on June 18th but turned violent after a brutal police response, leading to more demands for reform and the resignation of President William Ruto.
In response, Ruto scrapped the finance bill containing the tax increases and reshuffled his cabinet to include opposition figures to create a “broad-based” government. Despite a decrease in street protests from September, incidents of killings, arrests, and disappearances continued, along with public discontent against the authorities.
Recent demonstrations have been further fueled by the death of a teacher, Albert Ojwang, this month while in police custody and the shooting of a vendor, Boniface Kariuki, during protests last week. Issues of police brutality, corruption, unemployment, government, excesses, and rising living costs persist.
Political analyst Mikhail Nyamweya points out that the trust of many Kenyans, especially the youth, in the government is low, and they perceive the administration as unresponsive and disconnected from everyday struggles. Despite promises of reform, reports of human rights violations and lack of accountability have reinforced the belief that little has changed.
Planned events include peaceful processions across the country, digital campaigns using hashtags, and vigils. Pro-t testing groups have expressed concern about potential infiltration by individuals seeking to disrupt the demonstrations.
Police have urged participants to maintain peace. However, some allies and pro-government politicians have threatened younger Kenyans. Rights activists have called for unity and protection of each other during the demonstrations.
A joint statement from envoys of 12 countries, including the US and the UK, expressed support for Kenyans’ right to peaceful assembly and urged all parties to facilitate peaceful demonstrations and refrain from violence. The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops also called for peaceful activities on Wednesday and criticized the excessive use of force by police during demonstrations, emphasizing the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/25/fears-of-unrest-as-kenyans-mark-first-anniversary-of-storming-of-parliament
