Matiang’i Urges Police to practice restraint as Gen Z commemorate 2024 anti-finace bill protests during anniversary in Kenya
Nairobi – Fred Matiang’i, former Interior Cabinet Secretary and declared 2027 presidential contender, has called on the government and police to avoid violence and employ restraint as youth-led protests erupted across Kenya on Wednesday in commemoration of the anti-finance bill 2024 protests that claimed over 60 lives outside parliament building in Nairobi with scores injured amid the heated debate bill. The demonstrations, marking the one-year anniversary of the deadly 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, turned chaotic in multiple towns.
“I urge the government not to harden its heart but to listen to the cry for justice and reform,” Matiang’i said in a statement released from Nairobi. “Young, active citizens were exercising their right to petition the authorities.”
Matiang’i, who recently returned to Kenya to focus on his presidential bid after leaving an international assignment, emphasized the need for restraint from security forces. “Force only fuels the flames,” he warned.
In Molo, police shot and killed a high school student from Njenga Karume Secondary School. Witnesses say the teen was unarmed. Four others were injured during the same confrontation and rushed to a local hospital. The killing has reignited public outrage over police conduct during protests.
Demonstrations spread from Nairobi to Kisii, Eldoret, Nyeri, Mombasa, Nakuru, Meru, and other towns. Protesters blocked roads, set bonfires, and clashed with riot police. In Nairobi’s Central Business District and along Thika Road, security forces used tear gas and live bullets to break up crowds. Barricades surrounded Parliament and State House, guarded by heavily armed police.
Kenyatta National Hospital confirmed receiving more than ten protest-related casualties by Wednesday afternoon. Most suffered gunshot wounds. In Kikuyu town, the Law Courts building was set on fire by unknown individuals.
As the unrest spread, the Communications Authority of Kenya issued an order to halt live TV broadcasts of the protests. Major media houses, including Citizen TV and NTV, reported disruptions to their free-to-air signals. Media watchdogs condemned the blackout.
“This ban violates constitutional guarantees of expression and access to information,” said a joint statement by media organizations and legal experts. “Censorship will not silence public demand for justice.”
Matiang’i, who led the country’s security portfolio during prior protest periods, said Kenya stands at a “critical moment.”
“Regardless of political differences, we must come together and repair what is broken. A just and accountable government cannot be built through force,” he said.
The June 25 demonstrations stem from the deadly crackdown last year when more than 60 mostly young protesters were killed during anti-tax protests. This year’s marchers say little has changed. Their demands center on police accountability, economic justice, and political transparency.
Chants of “Ruto Must Go” echoed through city streets as youth waved banners bearing names of those killed in 2024. Many vowed to continue protests until justice is delivered.
By nightfall, tension remained high across major towns, with security forces deployed and protesters refusing to disperse. With the media under restriction and public outrage growing, the question of how the government will respond next remains open.
