Kenyan police detain hundreds, fire tear gas as protesters mark second anniversary of deadly 2024 demonstrations

Jun 25, 2026

Kenyan police arrested 355 people and fired tear gas on June 25, 2026, to disperse protesters marking the second anniversary of the deadly 2024 anti-government rallies. Families of the 60 victims killed in the original crackdown marched alongside opposition leaders to demand justice and transparent reparations. While President William Ruto set aside $15.5 million to compensate victims, rights groups and families rejected the fund as non-transparent, intensifying political pressure on Ruto ahead of the 2027 elections.

Second anniversary protests

▪Security forces in Nairobi fired tear gas, mounted roadblocks, and barricaded the parliament building with razor wire to disperse and contain the anniversary demonstrators.
▪Kenyan police arrested 355 people nationwide on June 25, 2026, during demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the deadly 2024 anti-government protests.
▪Opposition leaders Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Eugene Wamalwa, and former Chief Justice David Maraga joined families of the deceased on their march to parliament.

2024 parliament storming

▪At least 60 people were killed by security forces during the 2024 anti-government protests and the subsequent crackdown.
▪In June 2024, tens of thousands of Kenyans protested against controversial tax proposals, culminating in the storming of the parliament building and the withdrawal of the finance bill.

Police excessive force

▪A BBC investigation found that Kenyan police deliberately tried to kill protesters during the 2024 demonstrations, amid wider allegations of abductions and extrajudicial killings.
▪Three Kenyan police officers have been formally charged in connection with the deaths of protesters.

Victims' families demands

▪Edith Wanjiku, whose 19-year-old son Ibrahim Kamau was killed in 2024, stated that only two out of ten families whose children were shot near parliament have received compensation.
▪Families of the deceased and protest organizers are demanding credible investigations, the arrest of responsible officers, and guarantees against the future use of excessive force.

Government compensation fund

▪Human rights organizations and activists rejected the compensation plan, citing the exclusion of some victims, inadequate payouts, and a lack of transparency.
▪President William Ruto announced a 2 billion Kenyan shilling ($15.5 million) fund to compensate nearly 2,000 victims of protest-related human rights abuses between 2017 and 2025.

Ruto's 2027 reelection

▪Rigathi Gachagua, President William Ruto's former deputy and current rival, urged Gen Z activists to stay off the streets and remain at home as a symbolic show of dissent.
▪President William Ruto is facing growing public discontent and criticism over unfulfilled campaign promises ahead of the 2027 elections, though he maintains his administration has met most pledges.