NAIROBI, Kenya – Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday led a group of opposition leaders in commemorating the first anniversary of the Gen Z protest victims, as police sealed off key access roads to Parliament and heightened security across the city.
Kalonzo and fellow Azimio la Umoja leaders staged a symbolic walk along Parliament Road, where they intended to lay wreaths and light candles in honour of the dozens of young protesters killed during last year’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
“Today, we just want to remember these young people. We intend to lay wreaths in their memory,” Kalonzo told reporters. “Even if we are denied access to Parliament today, this day must be properly commemorated as a national holiday in the future.”
Kalonzo also commended Kenyans for what he termed as a nationwide act of remembrance, noting the subdued activity in major towns and the large number of people staying away from work.
“A lot of Kenyans have chosen to stay at home in sympathy with the June 2024 deaths. It truly feels like a public holiday—there are barricades everywhere,” he said.
The ceremony came amid a massive security operation in Nairobi’s Central Business District, with riot police blocking roads leading to Parliament and erecting razor wire along Parliament Square to deter protesters.
It remained unclear whether the opposition would be allowed to proceed with the memorial event, as officers continued to restrict access to the legislature.
Police say the measures are part of efforts to prevent a repeat of last year’s storming of Parliament, when Gen Z protesters breached the chambers in a dramatic act of defiance that shook the nation and led to multiple fatalities.
“Parliament can be visited by any citizen—even the State House can be visited by any citizen,” said National Assembly Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui, challenging the heightened restrictions.
Last year’s protests, triggered by controversial tax proposals in the 2024 Finance Bill, saw Gen Z demonstrators march in unprecedented numbers.
The June 25, 2024, protests culminated in the storming of Parliament, where protesters briefly occupied the chamber and were later met with deadly force.
This year’s anniversary has become a rallying point for calls to honour the victims and defend the right to peaceful protest.
