NAIROBI, Kenya- Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) chief Mohammed Amin has accused unnamed individuals of orchestrating the June 25 Gen Z-led protests across Kenya, saying the demonstrations were not spontaneous but a well-funded and coordinated effort to destabilize the country.
Speaking in Nairobi, Amin said intelligence reports and ongoing investigations point to a deliberate plan to ferry youth—mainly into Nairobi—from various counties under the guise of protest.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had earlier made similar claims- while suggesting that some youth were ferried from three Central Kenya Counties.
“Evidence indicates that the individuals were strategically mobilized and transported, particularly into Nairobi from various parts of the country, not to express their legitimate grievances but to execute a well-coordinated agenda of disruption and violence,” he said.
Over 450 suspects have been arrested countrywide since the demonstrations, with the DCI saying it is now targeting key figures behind the scenes.
“These actions were not by any means spontaneous; they were orchestrated. We are actively pursuing the key planners, the mobilisers, the financiers and the facilitators behind this chaos—and they will be brought to justice very soon,” Amin declared.
Coordinated Arrests, Violence and Damage
The protests, led largely by Gen Z youth, had initially been hailed as peaceful and organic.
However, things took a darker turn on June 25, when several incidents of violence and looting were reported in Nairobi and beyond.
In Kikuyu, Kiambu County, 24 individuals were arrested in connection to the torching of the Kikuyu Law Courts and other government installations.
Police say several vehicles, including tractors and tuk-tuks, were set ablaze. A Kikuyu court granted detectives 14 days to hold the suspects as investigations continue.
In Nyeri, 21 suspects were arraigned in court for offenses including shop-breaking and handling stolen goods. Some admitted guilt and were fined, while others were released on bond pending trial.
And in Machakos County, DCI officers arrested three young people aboard a Mombasa-bound bus who were allegedly involved in mobilizing youth online and inciting violence.
Officers said the suspects had been identified through digital footprints, including TikTok live sessions and WhatsApp group messages used to coordinate movement and unrest.
DCI Mohammed Amin: While some youthful protesters joined the demonstrations in good faith, some individuals, tragically, even some who had marched peacefully, later turned on fellow Kenyans. They engaged in sexual violence, theft and broke into homes and businesses. Such acts not
“Not About Protest—But Sabotage”
CS Murkomen had on June 26, 2025, painted an even grimmer picture.
Addressing the press a day after the protests, he revealed that nine police stations were attacked—five of them completely burned down.
He added that police uniforms, ammunition, and weapons had been stolen during raids on the stations.
“This was not a protest. It was a deliberate and calculated attempt to weaken internal security mechanisms,” Murkomen said.
He claimed that armed groups took advantage of the youth-led movement to launch attacks on state installations, loot businesses, and set vehicles ablaze, including ambulances and water trucks.
In Nairobi’s central business district, several shops were broken into, and at least two malls were vandalized.
DCI Mohammed Amin: Evidence indicates that the individuals were strategically mobilized and transported, particularly into Nairobi from various parts of the country, not to express their legitimate grievances but to execute a well-coordinated agenda of disruption and violence.
DCI Focus Turns to Financiers and Tech Footprints
According to DCI Amin, arrests so far have yielded crucial intelligence, including communications from phones seized from suspects.
Investigators are now working with forensic analysts to track financial transactions, trace the origin of transportation arrangements, and map out who funded the operation.
“This wasn’t just youth taking to the streets,” a senior detective involved in the case told Y News. “Somebody paid for their movement. Somebody organized the logistics. Our task now is to connect those dots—and we’re making progress.”
The DCI is also said to be examining social media data, including live broadcasts on TikTok and Twitter posts that may have incited violence or coordinated logistics.
Constitutional Rights vs Criminal Acts
While the Constitution of Kenya guarantees the right to peaceful protest, authorities argue that the June 25 demonstrations crossed the line into criminal activity.
“We respect the right to protest. What we cannot and will not tolerate is the use of protests to burn down police stations, steal firearms, and loot private property,” Amin said.
The government has been walking a tightrope—balancing the genuine grievances of young Kenyans, particularly over economic frustration and governance, against a growing pattern of violence, which they now say may be deliberately instigated by shadowy actors.
