Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, was once again the epicenter of youth-led unrest on Wednesday as thousands of demonstrators flooded the central business district, protesting against entrenched police brutality, economic hardship, and government failure.
The latest wave of demonstrations marks a year since last July’s anti-tax protests that left at least 60 people dead and 20 others missing. It also comes just days after renewed anger over the unexplained death of a Kenyan blogger while in police custody.
Galvanized by frustration and grief, especially among Generation Z, the protests have grown in momentum despite government efforts to suppress them. The Communications Authority of Kenya halted all live coverage midway through the day, and President William Ruto issued a stern warning, declaring that “violence will not be tolerated.”
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Yet, across social media, young Kenyans shared updates, honored victims of past protests, and posted memes and messages calling for systemic change. On the ground, acts of solidarity continued, some demonstrators handed out water to fellow marchers.
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Why Kenya Is Boiling Over:
A street hawker was fatally shot during last week’s protests, intensifying calls for police accountability. In response, a court granted investigators 15 days to probe two officers linked to the killing. The case has reignited memories of last year’s violence when President Ruto apologized and pledged to curb police brutality after the police chief resigned.
“Not a single officer has been held to account,” said human rights advocate Hussein Khaled in an AP report. “People took to the streets to demand justice in terms of compensation … arrest of those officers who were involved … police reforms because too many Kenyans are losing their lives.”
The economic context has only deepened the discontent. Last year’s widely rejected finance bill, meant to address Kenya’s debt burden, hiked taxes and sparked mass outrage, especially among jobless, educated youth. Though Ruto eventually withdrew the bill, many of the proposals have resurfaced, drawing fresh criticism.
A newly introduced health levy, for instance, has changed standard premiums into a controversial income-based system. Ruto’s appointment of a new cabinet, seen by many as tone-deaf and elitist, only added fuel to the fire.
“Both the health and the education sectors, which greatly affect the youth, are seemingly sinking due to misguided policies and failure to provide needed resources. At the same time, there appears to be unlimited funds for ‘aristocratic’ luxuries,” said Prof. Macharia Munene of USIU-Africa.
With youth unemployment in Kenya hovering around 67%, according to UN data, and a majority of sub-Saharan Africa’s population under 30, the pressure on governments to address young people’s needs is mounting fast.
Ruto has come under fire for lavish spending, including using a private jet for a trip to the U.S. days before last year’s deadly protests. While he later apologized and fired some ministers accused of corruption or extravagance, critics argue the damage to public trust had already been done.
The opposition, too, hasn’t escaped scrutiny. Some of its members now serve in the very administration they once opposed, raising questions about their commitment to challenging the system.
“Enough is enough … We are here for change, it is time for us to get our nation (back),” protester Sevelina Mwihaki declared. “The blood that we have shed is enough.”
READ ALSO: Kenyan police under fire after shooting unarmed man during protest
