One person shot dead, several injured in Matuu protests

Protesters baricade Nairobi - Garissa Road at Matuu Town in Machakos County on June 25, 2025.

One person was shot dead and several others injured on Wednesday after clashes between police and demonstrators in Matuu, Machakos County, as Gen Z-led protests spread across the region.

Eyewitnesses said the man was fatally injured when a group of protesters tried to storm the Matuu police station.

The demonstrators, chanting anti-government slogans, were met with force as police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Several protesters were seen carrying wounded colleagues from the scene as chaos erupted around the police station.

Police officers are said to have been overwhelmed by the protesters.

Officers from the Border Patrol Unit, attached to the Border Police Unit's headquarters in Kanyoonyo, Kitui County, have since reinforced security in the area.

Protesters on streets in Matuu, Machakos County, on June 25, 2025./GEORGE OWITI

The unrest was not confined to Matuu. Similar scenes unfolded across Machakos, Makueni, and Kajiado counties, with demonstrators and police clashing in Mlolongo, Emali, Kibwezi, Makindu, Sultan Hamud, and Kitengela.

In Mlolongo, protesters blocked the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway by setting tyres ablaze.

Police responded with tear gas and running battles as they tried to regain control of the area, especially along the Nairobi Expressway.

The situation was equally tense in Machakos town, where officers lobbed tear gas canisters to break up crowds.

Meanwhile, in Makueni, protesters barricaded sections of the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway at Emali, Makindu, Kibwezi, and Sultan Hamud, saying their demonstration was in honor of those who have lost their lives in recent protests.

“Today, we are here for the memorial of all Gen Zs who have died at the hands of police. They weren’t criminals—they were killed for exercising their constitutional rights,” said Isaac Wambua, one of the demonstrators.

“We are unarmed, carrying only candles and face masks. We came in peace. An injury to one youth is an injury to all youths. Some have been killed in police cells, others on the streets. We are peaceful, but if teargassed, we have to retaliate."

The protests, which have surged across Kenya in recent weeks, continue to highlight the growing tensions between authorities and a new generation of activists determined to make their voices heard.