Kenya has been rocked by a series of protests, primarily in Nairobi, reflecting deep-seated socioeconomic grievances and rising public discontent. These demonstrations highlight a growing divide between the government and its citizens, particularly the youth, and portend recurring unrest ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Major protests against the government of Kenyan President William Ruto first emerged in 2024, with the introduction of the Kenya Finance Bill. The unprecedented scenes in the houses of parliament stunned Kenyans.
The Spark: The Finance Bill 2024
The immediate trigger for the protests was the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which proposed a range of new taxes. Publication by the National Treasury in May of further revenue-raising measures for the 2024-2025 financial year galvanised public anger. The proposals initially contemplated imposing a 16 per cent VAT on bread and introducing an “eco tax” on products viewed as harmful to the environment, a levy that would have raised the price of items such as sanitary towels, nappies, packaging, plastics and tyres.
These proposals drew fierce, widespread opposition, although the government insisted the measures were essential to finance public spending. Frustration among Kenyans with the state of the economy and the government’s perceived insensitivity to the plight of citizens has been brewing for years, but the sudden street action caught authorities by surprise.
President Ruto won an against-the-odds victory in a closely fought election in August 2022, promising to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and place “hustlers”, or poor, hard-working Kenyans, at the heart of his policy priorities. On taking office, he encountered state finances in a parlous condition.
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Kenya’s national debt stands at around $80 billion, about three quarters of its annual economic output, and 65 per cent of annual revenue goes to repaying the country’s debt. The administration’s response has been to cut several subsidies put in place by Kenyatta, notably those on fuel. Myriad other measures to raise revenues followed in 2023, including a 5 per cent increase in income tax for high earners and a 3 per cent housing levy (designed to raise funds to construct low-income housing), collected from both employees and employers. Most of these policies fall under a set of reforms that Kenya has agreed to implement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Youth-Led Mobilization
Historically, opposition leaders have taken the main role in rallying supporters to reject government policies. This time, apparently using the springboard offered by social media platforms and without being steered by political leaders, young Kenyans mobilised to express their discontent. The hashtag #REJECTFINANCEBILL2024 gained prominence over the weekend of 15 June, with many calling for protests to press their case.
On 18 June, ahead of the Finance Bill’s second reading in parliament, thousands took to the streets. Demonstrators also came from a wide array of ethnic groups and regions, and their highly articulate, issue-based demands sparked intense debate in the national media, as well as on social media, about the state of the economy.
Despite the wave of public sentiment against the measures, the National Assembly voted on 20 June to move the legislation to the next stage, with 204 of 349 members of parliament voting yes and 115 no.
Protesters gather during a nationwide strike to protest against tax hikes and the Finance Bill 2024 in downtown Nairobi, on June 25, 2024.
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Gen Z Rising: Kenyan youth demand change
Escalation and Government Response
The Ruto administration has been taken aback by the scope of the movement and the speed at which it has spread across the country. Most major cities and towns in Kenya experienced protests after the first round of street action.
In particular, they said they were appalled by the authorities’ actions in imposing steep tax hikes while doing little to curb spending among Kenya’s notoriously coddled political class. Pictures circulated of the lavish lifestyles of ruling officials. Social media users highlighted what they saw as unnecessary budget lines, such as funds set aside for renovation of the president’s and deputy president’s official residences.
In response, the government has veered between repression and accommodation. On 20 June, police used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protesters, killing two and injuring dozens. At the same time, however, unidentified individuals widely believed to be police officers abducted several of the more prominent individuals mobilising protests. Most were released within 24 hours after a social media outcry.
With MPs due to take a final vote on the legislation on 25 June, protesters called for countrywide street action to urge legislators to rethink. Tens of thousands heeded the call. In Nairobi, police launched their customary response to unrest by firing tear gas canisters and water cannons into unarmed crowds.
In scenes familiar from other countries but never before witnessed in Kenya, a group of protesters massed around the police guarding parliament and broke through the barricades, storming the chamber. MPs, who hours earlier had voted 195 to 106 in favour of the finance bill during its final reading, were smuggled to safety after first huddling in the chamber’s basement. Outside the house, mayhem ensued.
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Police fought running battles with protesters, shooting live rounds into the crowds. Several other buildings including the City Hall and a number of buildings were set ablaze, and some protesters carried out acts of vandalism and looting in the city centre. A number of protesters were killed in the pandemonium around parliament.
On 26 June, the president finally backed down, announcing he would not assent to the finance bill. He said the deficit would instead be covered by cost-cutting measures, including a hiring freeze and other reductions in executive, judicial and legislative branch spending.
In many ways, the deaths and chaos during the 25 June unrest should have been preventable. The Kenyan constitution, one of the most progressive in Africa, says legislation should come to the floor of parliament only after meaningful “public participation”. In the case of the Finance Bill, only after a major public outcry and the first round of protests did ruling-party MPs remove the most unpopular provisions, including the tax on bread and the aforementioned “eco tax”.
Remembering Saba Saba Day
July 7 became the date Kenyan protesters in the 1990s used to steer the country clear of autocracy and toward political accountability. The weight of that history was especially significant this month, when the nation commemorated Saba Saba Day (July 7) in remembrance of the student-led 1990 prodemocracy protests against the authoritarian rule of President Daniel Arap Moi.
Daniel Arap Moi's leadership was tainted by kleptocracy and corruptionThirty-five years later however, the tragic disconnect between the state and its youth resurfaced. June and July 2025 were meant to be a period of reflection - marking a year since the breach of Parliament and the lives lost during the protests - while offering a moment to reflect on the nation’s path to democracy. Instead, the country was thrust back into turmoil when police again disrupted peaceful demonstrations.
This latest wave was ignited by the death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher who died in police custody. Ojwang had been arrested over social-media posts critical of the deputy inspector general of police, Eliud Lagat.
Key Events and Statistics of the Protests
The protests have been marked by significant events and statistics that underscore the severity of the situation.
| Event/Statistic | Details |
|---|---|
| Deaths during protests | At least 65 people killed in 2024 protests, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). |
| Arrests | Nearly 1,500 Kenyans arrested in connection with the protests, according to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. |
| Saba Saba Day | Commemoration of the 1990 pro-democracy march, marked by renewed protests in 2024 and 2025. |
| Finance Bill 2024 | Proposed tax hikes that sparked widespread protests, later vetoed by President Ruto. |
| Youth Involvement | Protests largely organized over social media by Gen Z Kenyans, highlighting their role in demanding accountability. |
The Role of Gen Z and Social Media
The protests were largely organized over social media by Gen Z Kenyans. Youth activists who rallied the protestors had no leadership or formal structure. The movement echoed patterns seen in Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests - decentralized, leaderless, and digitally native.
Perhaps the government failed to recognize that it is not traditional political forces that are driving the Gen Z uprising. The generation of young people leading this movement has long been excluded from decisionmaking, yet bears the brunt of the economic uncertainty, poverty, and unemployment plaguing the country.
Government Repression and Human Rights Concerns
The government’s repressive tactics to curb dissent have raised significant human rights concerns. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), 60 people died and hundreds more were injured between June and July when police used excessive and unnecessary force during protests against the Finance Bill.
During the violent repression of anti-Finance Bill protests, human rights observers documented the unlawful dispersal by police of peaceful gatherings, as well as arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of protesters. Security forces arrested some medical personnel who responded to injured protesters. According to the Law Society of Kenya, at least 72 people, including human rights defenders and activists, were forcibly disappeared in connection with their involvement in protests against the Finance Bill.
Looking Ahead
Kenya now stands at a crossroads. Its youth are redefining civil discourse, challenging traditional levers of power while the state is resorting to repressive tactics aimed at silencing dissent. The 2010 Constitution marked a significant turning point: a bold promise of a nation guided by the rule of law, human rights, good governance, and accountability.
The current government appears more invested in its own survival than in the well-being of its citizens. It is waging a simultaneous assault on the people, the Constitution, and the institutions meant to hold power to account. But all is not lost. The Gen Z protests have awakened a political consciousness that cannot be unlearned. Kenya’s future will not be shaped by the complacency of those in power, but by the courage of its youth.
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