NAIROBI, Kenya — Families of young people killed during protests linked to the 2024 Finance Bill demonstrations have notified the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, of plans to hold a national remembrance march on June 25, 2026.
In a media invitation circulated ahead of the planned event, the families said they will deliver a formal notification of the remembrance activities to the National Police Service on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
The group said parents and relatives of the victims will be accompanied by former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, Senior Counsel James Orengo, Senior Counsel Gitobu Imanyara, and Muslims for Human Rights Director Khelef Khalifa.
The organisers said the June 25 event will honour victims of protests and will include peaceful marches, with participants calling for justice and accountability.
Calls for police protection
The families said they expect the National Police Service to guarantee the safety of demonstrators during the planned activities.
They urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure officers protect life and property during peaceful assemblies across the country.
“No parent should bury their child because of taking part in a peaceful protest,” the organisers said in the notice.
The planned action comes amid continued public debate over police conduct during demonstrations and the constitutional right to peaceful protest.
Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees every person the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions peacefully and unarmed.
Remembering 2024 protests
The organisers linked the remembrance activities to protests held in June 2024 against the Finance Bill, where rights groups and oversight institutions raised concerns over alleged excessive use of force by security officers.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) previously investigated complaints arising from demonstrations, including allegations of police misconduct and deaths during protests.
The organisers said the victims were exercising their constitutional rights by protesting and petitioning public officials over governance concerns.
They also announced plans for families, friends, and supporters in Nairobi to proceed to Parliament on June 25 to demand justice and lay flowers at sites associated with the protests.
Public order and accountability debate
The planned remembrance march is expected to renew discussions around balancing public safety, law enforcement responsibilities and protection of constitutional freedoms.
Kenya’s security agencies have repeatedly maintained that officers must operate within the law while responding to public demonstrations and security threats.
As preparations continue, attention will be on how authorities manage the planned events and whether the exercise proceeds peacefully in line with constitutional protections on civic participation.
