Kenya marked the second anniversary of the June 2024 Gen Z-led anti-government protests on Thursday with a massive security operation that effectively shut down central Nairobi. Police erected roadblocks on all major arteries, deployed anti-riot units and plainclothes officers, and barricaded parliament with barbed wire, leaving the capital’s business district deserted and thousands of commuters stranded. The measures came as youth groups, opposition figures and families of those killed in the 2024 and 2025 demonstrations planned memorial marches and candlelight vigils across the country.

According to Kenyan authorities, the government respected the constitutional right to peaceful assembly but would act “decisively” against anyone exploiting the protests for criminal acts. President William Ruto warned that those “mobilised to destroy property or cause chaos” would not be tolerated. Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua, who attempted to lay wreaths at parliament but were blocked by barricades, accused the state of using excessive force to stifle dissent. The Kenya Human Rights Commission demanded the immediate removal of roadblocks, arguing they violated a 2025 High Court order barring police from obstructing roads without prior notice. In Mombasa, organisers said they had complied with legal notification requirements, and local authorities confirmed an agreement for a peaceful march.

While Nairobi saw sporadic clashes—with police firing tear gas in Githurai and arresting several protesters—other regions reported contrasting scenes. In Kisumu, hundreds of youths opted to register as voters and apply for identity cards rather than join street demonstrations, with organisers describing the drive as a deliberate shift toward electoral participation ahead of the 2027 polls. In Embu, security patrols and roadblocks kept the town subdued but largely peaceful. The day’s events underscored the enduring fault lines: according to a police watchdog cited by international news agencies, at least 127 people have been killed across two years of protests, and families continue to demand accountability. Last week, President Ruto announced a nearly $15 million compensation fund for victims of protest-related abuses, but human rights groups in Nairobi rejected it as inadequate and lacking transparency.

The anniversary protests have become a focal point for broader discontent with Ruto’s administration, which faces criticism over unfulfilled campaign promises, corruption allegations, and the deployment of plainclothes security units. Analysts in Nairobi note that the government’s extensive security deployment reflects its determination to prevent a repeat of the 2024 parliament breach, but risks further alienating the youth movement that has reshaped Kenya’s political landscape. Separately, prosecutors announced they would charge eight students with murder over a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ School last month that killed 16 pupils, a case that has reignited debate about safety in boarding schools. The Inspector General of Police said those arrested during Thursday’s protests would be arraigned in court, while civil society groups vowed to challenge the roadblocks legally. Organisers signalled that commemorations would continue annually until justice is delivered.