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Just like Gen X, those born in the 60s and 70s had their “Saba Saba” commemorations in the 90s, Kenya’s Gen Z have June 25th as a marker of their own resistance. This year was the second anniversary of the deadly Gen-Z-led anti-government protests on June 25, 2024.
On that day, thousands of mainly young Kenyans came to the streets, eventually storming Parliament grounds to protest proposed tax hikes in that year’s controversial Finance Bill.
The agitated crowds entered the heavily secured Parliament building, setting parts of it on fire and rampaging its ornate rooms.
Security forces opened fire. By the end of day, 62 young Kenyans had lost their lives, as reported by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). This was one of Kenya’s darkest days, and its effects reverberate to date.
