On June 25, 2024, a generation of young Kenyans did something many had never done before. They took to the streets armed, not with tear gas or ammunition but with placards, water bottles, a flag and phones. Born from social media, they marched in protest of the now infamous Finance Bill.
As the sun set the police sirens rose, what started as a peaceful demonstration quickly turned into one of the most painful days in recent history.
Many young people left home unsure of what they would find. Some were warned by parents not to go, others lied about their plans. For most of them, it was not politics that pushed them but the weight of unemployment, rising cost of living and a feeling of being unheard.
On the online platforms, the protests grew organically. What started as a digital dissent on X(Twitter) and Tiktok evolved into physical mobilization. The first timers learned how to hold their signs high, to move as a group, to care for one another. There were moments of fear and also of power. Strangers became friends’, music blared from portable speakers, at the time Anguka Nayo by Wadegliz was the song on loop.
Something to note, there was no central leadership.
In several cities, including Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru the protests were peaceful until they were not. By evening, hospitals were overwhelmed, social media filled with urgent calls for help, lists of the missing, and names of those who didn’t make it home turned to hashtags. IPOA noted that 60 deaths we’re registered during the 2024 protests and have already completed investigations into 22 while actively pursuing 36, with two currently before the courts.
Now, one year later, the protests still echo. Artists have painted murals across walls to honor the fallen. Families have held silent vigils and young people have continue to organize X Spaces. While the Finance Bill dominated the headlines, the legacy of that day goes far deeper. It was a generational turning point. A moment of civic birth for thousands who had never seen themselves as political.
As we watch today’s protests unfold, one year later we’re listening, witnessing and taking notes. What we write next will not just be about what happened but who we’re becoming as a nation.
