NAIROBI, Kenya– Kenya joined the rest of the world in marking International Youth Day on Tuesday, with former Chief Justice and 2027 presidential candidate David Maraga commending the country’s young people for their role in advancing accountability, justice, and the rule of law.
In a statement, Maraga lauded the youth for their contributions to the nation’s economy, particularly through innovation and technology, and for their achievements in sports and culture that continue to place Kenya on the global stage.
He urged them to walk alongside national institutions in “resetting, restoring, and rebuilding a new Kenya of their greatest imagination and dreams.”
The message comes as Kenya’s youth remain at the forefront of one of the country’s most sustained protest movements in recent history – a largely leaderless, social media-driven wave of demonstrations demanding better governance, economic relief, and respect for human rights.
-Youth-Led Protests-
The movement, often referred to as the “Gen Z uprising,” began in June 2024 in response to the Finance Bill, which proposed a series of tax hikes on basic goods and services.
The demonstrations quickly evolved into broader calls for government accountability, an end to corruption, and the protection of civil liberties.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), security crackdowns on the protests have resulted in significant casualties.
In its reports covering June and July 2024, KNCHR documented at least 60 deaths, 1,376 arbitrary arrests, 74 enforced disappearances – with 26 people still missing – and 610 injuries linked to the demonstrations.
On this International Youth Day, we celebrate the contributions that the young people of Kenya make as they push for accountability, justice and the rule of law.We laud you for your role in building Kenya’s economy especially through innovation and technology.We are
On June 25, 2025, during a nationwide day of protest, the commission reported 19 deaths, 531 injuries, 15 enforced disappearances, and 179 arrests. The watchdog also recorded incidents of sexual violence allegedly perpetrated by security officers against protesters.
More recently, during the Saba Saba Day demonstrations on July 7, 2025 – an annual commemoration of Kenya’s pro-democracy struggles – rights groups cited at least 31 deaths and over 1,500 arrests.
Many of those detained were charged under anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws, a trend rights advocates have described as “weaponising the law” to stifle dissent.
-Rights Bodies Raise Concerns-
Human rights organisations, including KNCHR, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), and several international partners, have expressed alarm at what they describe as excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances.
A Reuters investigation in January 2025 found that some protest-related deaths were misclassified in morgue records as accidents or mob violence, raising concerns over potential cover-ups.
The Guardian has also reported on the hardening tone of official rhetoric, citing statements by senior leaders urging police to “shoot protesters in the leg” – remarks that have drawn condemnation from both local and global observers.
“We celebrate you and encourage you to walk with us,” his message read.
While the commemoration is intended to highlight the achievements of Kenya’s youth, the backdrop of ongoing protests and documented rights violations underscores the depth of the challenges facing both the government and the generation determined to hold it to account.
