Kalonzo urges police restraint ahead of June 25 Gen Z memorial processions

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has called on police and other security agencies to exercise maximum restraint during the planned Gen Z memorial processions on June 25, urging authorities to allow demonstrators to exercise their constitutional rights peacefully and without interference.

In a statement issued on Wednesday addressing the marking of the second anniversary of the June 25, 2024 protests, Kalonzo said Kenyans participating in the memorial activities should be allowed to assemble and commemorate those who lost their lives during last year's anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.

“I also call on the police and all security agencies to exercise maximum restraint tomorrow and in the days ahead. Demonstrators must be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights without interference from hired goons, excessive force, or live ammunition,” Kalonzo said.

The former Vice President said the call for restraint was informed by lessons from the events of June 2024, when protests against the Finance Bill led to deaths, injuries, arrests and allegations of human rights violations.

Kalonzo said the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful assembly, picketing and demonstrations, adding that law enforcement agencies have a duty to facilitate the exercise of those rights.

He noted that the youth-led protests had become a significant chapter in Kenya's democratic history, describing them as a movement driven by young people seeking accountability and greater public participation in governance.

The opposition leader also renewed calls for accountability over deaths, disappearances and alleged rights violations linked to the demonstrations.

“The names of our fallen, abducted, kidnapped and wrongly charged must not become mere footnotes in our history, but the very foundation upon which a better Kenya is built,” he said.

I therefore call on the government, on the security apparatus, and on Parliament to account for every life lost, every person who disappeared, and every family still waiting for any word on where their children are.”

Kalonzo said accountability should extend beyond those directly involved in alleged abuses to include individuals who may have authorised, facilitated or concealed unlawful actions.

He further argued that justice for victims and their families would require transparent investigations and prosecution of those found responsible.

The Wiper leader also raised concerns about investigations into some of the deaths reported during the demonstrations.

According to Kalonzo, shortcomings highlighted in court proceedings involving the case had raised concerns about the ability of institutions to secure justice for victims.

He said accountability should be accompanied by meaningful reparations for affected families and individuals whose lives were disrupted by the protests.

Kalonzo further claimed that some young Kenyans who participated in the demonstrations continue to live with fear and uncertainty, saying their education, careers and livelihoods were affected by events surrounding the protests.