NAIROBI — Families of people killed during Kenya's 2024 anti-government protests gathered on Thursday to honor the victims on the second anniversary of the deadly demonstrations, laying flowers outside Parliament after police blocked access to the compound, while security forces dispersed some commemorative marches and detained hundreds of people, according to authorities and witnesses.
The commemorations marked two years since the June 25, 2024 protests, which escalated after demonstrations against proposed tax increases and the rising cost of living. Protesters breached Parliament during the unrest before a security crackdown left dozens dead. Human rights organizations have said more than 60 people were killed, while Kenyan authorities have acknowledged abuses by security forces but dispute aspects of the accounts.
Heavy police deployments were visible across central Nairobi, where key roads were closed and Parliament was surrounded by barbed-wire barricades. Organizers said families had intended to place flowers and wreaths at Parliament in memory of those killed, but officers prevented them from reaching the grounds. Similar commemorations were also planned in other parts of the country, including the coastal city of Mombasa.
"All I want is for the government to bring the officers responsible for killing our children before us and let them apologise," Jacinta Anyango, whose son was killed during the 2024 unrest, told reporters outside Parliament.
According to Kenya's Interior Ministry, police arrested 355 people nationwide during Thursday's operations. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said he regretted disruptions linked to the demonstrations and defended the security measures as necessary to maintain public order.
Opposition politicians and civil society activists joined families during the memorial events, calling for accountability over the deaths and greater transparency in a government compensation program announced for victims' families. Rights advocates said only a limited number of families had received compensation and urged authorities to accelerate investigations into the killings.
President William Ruto has previously acknowledged that members of the security forces committed abuses during the 2024 protests and announced funding for compensation. He has also said the payments do not constitute an admission of legal liability by the government. According to the Associated Press, three police officers have been charged in connection with the 2024 killings.
By late Thursday, police maintained a strong presence in Nairobi's central business district as commemorations concluded. Authorities said those arrested would be processed in accordance with the law, while activists said they would continue pressing for justice for the victims of the 2024 protests.
