Matiang’i urges restraint as Kenyans mark anniversary of 2024 youth protests
Participants called for justice, accountability and an end to police brutality, echoing the concerns that sparked last year’s unrest.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. Photo/Capital FM.
By Robert Assad
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i issued a statement Wednesday supporting youth-led demonstrations marking the anniversary of the June 25, 2024, protests, urging Kenyan authorities to avoid the use of force and instead pursue dialogue.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across cities and towns in Kenya to commemorate the first anniversary of the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests, in which dozens of young people lost their lives. Participants called for justice, accountability and an end to police brutality, echoing the concerns that sparked last year’s unrest.
“These young active citizens were exercising their protected right to petition the authorities,” said Matiang’i. “Please do not turn your weapons on your fellow citizens, exercise restraint and sobriety.”
The statement highlighted deep-rooted frustrations over punitive tax policies, mismanagement of public resources, and dwindling university funding, which Gen Z protesters argue have eroded economic opportunity and social equity.
Matiang’i, once the country’s top internal security official, expressed condolences to bereaved families and emphasized the need for political unity. “We must come together across party lines and generations, to fix what is broken and build a future that is just, accountable, and inclusive,” he said.
The renewed protests have remained largely peaceful, though rights groups continue to press for investigations into the killings and injuries suffered during the 2024 crackdown.
In Parliament, opposition leaders have called for June 25 to be officially recognized as “Gen Z Liberation Day.”
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