Rights Groups Demand Compensation for Gen-Z Protest Victims, Back Raila’s Dialogue Call
“We are not protesting because we hate our country. We are protesting because we love it—and we want to fix what’s broken,”
Kenya National Civil Society Network Executive Director Suba Churchill (centre), Kipkorir Ngetich (left), and Kimutai Kirui (right) address the press alongside other human rights advocates and Gen-Z youth from various communities in Uasin Gishu during a briefing in Eldoret on the Gen-Z protest response and calls for national dialogue.
A coalition of human rights organisations led by the Kenya National Civil Society Network is now pushing the government to compensate families of Kenyans who were killed or seriously injured by police during the youth-led protests of June 25 and July 7, 2024. The protests—driven largely by Gen-Z youth—erupted over the controversial Finance Bill and later intensified into broader calls for justice and reforms.
Speaking in Eldoret, Suba Churchill, the Executive Director of the Kenya National Civil Society Network , said the coalition stands ready to involve young people in structured and meaningful talks with the government.
“The lives lost and the injuries sustained cannot go unanswered. We must also engage Gen-Z in genuine dialogue to address the deep frustrations that led to these protests,” Churchill stated.
The organisations have aligned themselves with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s recent call for an intergenerational national dialogue, which he proposed during the Saba Saba Day commemorations. Odinga has called for an inclusive “national conclave” that brings together youth, elders, women, persons with disabilities, and civil society to develop binding solutions to the country’s crises.
Churchill confirmed that the network is ready to integrate Gen-Z voices into such a dialogue framework, emphasizing the urgency to resolve the political and socio-economic tensions gripping the nation.
Kimutai Kirui of the Centre Against Torture and Kipkorir Ngetich of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy urged youth to obtain national identity cards so they can vote for leaders of their choice in the next general elections.
“Young people must claim their democratic space—not just in protests, but through the ballot,” said Kirui.
Sharon Nyambegi, a Gen-Z protester who attended the forum, called on the government to take youth grievances seriously.
“We are not protesting because we hate our country. We are protesting because we love it—and we want to fix what’s broken,” said Nyambegi. “The government must stop ignoring us. It’s time to listen and act.”
Meanwhile, Gen-Z protesters continue to demand action on core grievances, including rampant youth unemployment, police brutality, and poor governance. The youth-driven movement, which began as online dissent, has grown into one of the most influential social and political forces in recent Kenyan history.
The rights groups insist that justice must include not only dialogue, but also direct compensation to victims’ families, prosecution of officers responsible for excessive force, and concrete reforms in governance and policing.
About Author
