Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said the opposition will mark the first anniversary of the Gen Z occupy Parliament protests on June 25 as a public holiday in honour of young Kenyans who died or got injured during confrontation with police.
Kalonzo said as a country, Kenya must respect its young people especialy considering that parents who lost their children during the protests have never been compensated.
"June 25, we mark it as a Gen Z revolution day. It will be a holiday for Kenyans to celebrate new freedom brought to them by Gen Z. June 25 will forever be a national holiday," Kalonzo declared.
Events of June 25, 2024, marked a turning point in Kenya's politics after anti-government protesters, led by the young Gen Z generation, escalated into violent confrontations following the passage of the Finance Bill 2024, which proposed significant tax hikes on essential goods and services.
The nationwide revolt culminated in the storming of Parliament in Nairobi where protesters set a section of the building on fire.
Police responded with brute force, resulting in the deaths of a number of protesters and the injury of dozens others.
In a televised address that same evening, President William Ruto condemned the actions of the protesters, labeling them as "treasonous" and "organised criminals" who had hijacked the demonstrations to cause mayhem.
He pledged a strong response against "violence and anarchy" and announced the deployment of the military to restore order, sparking outrage from opposition leaders and human rights activists.
Rights groups led by Amnesty International condemned the excessive use of force, claiming police in plainclothes fired live ammunition at demonstrators.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was subsequently brought on board when Ruto formed the broad-based government in response to mounting pressure for reforms and his removal from office, condemned the government saying "the constitution seems to have been suspended".
"We cannot allow that. The government has unleashed brute force on our country's children and more seems to be on the way. We cannot allow that."
The following day, June 26, 2024, Ruto made a quick U-turn, and stated, "I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn."
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that at least 60 people died and hundreds more were injured between June and July, 2024, due to excessive use of force during the protests.
President William Ruto on Wednesday offered a public apology to the Gen Z during the National Prayer Service for anything the generation felt aggrieved by his administration.
Speaking on Friday during a series on public rallies in Mavoko and Athi River in Machakos county, Kalonzo said their yet-to-be-formed coalition of a united opposition will honour the young men who lost their lives during the protests.
He said Ruto's belated apology won't be accepted, claiming the youth had long sealed his fate.
"And I want to ask my friend Raila...when the youth said we should take a back seat for them to complete what we had started in 2023, instead of supporting them, we abandoned them. I want an answer on that from Raila odinga," Kalonzo remarked.
The Gen Z protests were preceded by similar protests organised by the Azimio coalition in early 2023 to mount pressure on the government to lower the cost of living and institute a fray of electoral reforms.
The opposition and many young Kenyans expressed disappointment when Raila accepted to work with the government, terming his decision self-seeking and a betrayal to their course for justice for those who died during the anti-government protests.
In response to criticism over his decision to cooperate with Ruto's government, Raila Odinga emphasised that it was President Ruto who initiated the collaboration, not the other way around.
Raila clarified, "I did not go to Ruto—Ruto came to me," highlighting that his primary concern was addressing pressing national issues, such as the controversial Social Health Authority (SHA) and over-taxation, particularly the housing levy.
Speaking on March 11, 2025, Raila further defended the move and asserted that his commitment to the welfare of Kenyans remains steadfast.
"Since I was born, I have fought for Kenyans’ rights, and my stand has not changed," he said during a funeral service in Kiambu c.ounty.
