Families Honour Victims as Kenya Marks Anniversary of Deadly 2024 Protests

Families of victims killed during Kenya’s 2024 anti-government protests laid flowers and wreaths outside Parliament on Thursday as the country marked two years since the deadly demonstrations.

Authorities barricaded Parliament with barbed wire, preventing grieving families from reaching the site, while police arrested 355 people nationwide and blocked major roads into Nairobi. Although demonstrations were smaller than those seen in 2024, protesters and relatives of the victims continued to demand justice and accountability.

Many families expressed frustration over the government’s handling of the killings. Jacinta Anyango, whose 12-year-old son Kennedy was killed during the protests, called for officers responsible for the deaths to be held accountable and publicly apologise.

Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa, joined families and activists during the memorial march. In Mombasa, hundreds of protesters dressed in black marched peacefully while carrying Kenyan flags and banners demanding justice.

The 2024 demonstrations erupted over controversial tax proposals before escalating into nationwide unrest that left more than 80 people dead. Human rights groups have since accused security forces of using excessive force and carrying out enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Although President William Ruto recently announced a compensation fund for victims of protest-related abuses, rights organisations have criticised the plan, citing a lack of transparency and the exclusion of some affected families.