Kenyan Families March for Justice 2 Years After 62 Protest Deaths as 41 People Remain Missing
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 25
Kenyan Families March for Justice 2 Years After 62 Protest Deaths as 41 People Remain Missing
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 25
Summary
Nairobi families and civil society groups held a memorial march Tuesday to mark two years since the anti-Finance Bill protests, demanding accountability and police reform over killings and disappearances.
Only 3 of 62 protest-related deaths from 2024 have reached court, Kenya’s police watchdog said; 46 cases remain under investigation and several others are still under prosecutorial or internal review.
Human Rights Watch said 41 people linked to Kenya’s 2024 and 2025 protests are still missing, including 26 from the 2024 unrest that saw protesters breach Parliament grounds.
A $3.46 million compensation programme for 348 verified victims has begun, including $23,148 for each of 115 families of those killed, but relatives say payments cannot replace criminal accountability.
Rights groups say the anniversary march reflects wider concern over excessive force, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, with Kenya’s protest-era tolls likely undercounted because many cases remain unresolved.
With dozens dead and missing, why has Kenya offered families cash but not convictions for police violence?
Two years after deadly protests, why are European surveillance tools being linked to disappearances in Kenya?
Kenya’s Anti-Finance Bill Protests (2024–2026): Over 1,800 Victims, Widespread Impunity, and the Struggle for Justice and Accountability
Overview
In June 2024, widespread anti-Finance Bill protests erupted across Kenya, prompting President William Ruto to label demonstrators as dangerous criminals and deploy police and military forces to suppress the unrest. This heavy-handed response led to significant casualties, with hundreds injured and over 100 arrested. The crackdown, marked by violence and a lack of accountability, has left many families searching for justice two years later. Despite efforts by oversight bodies, impunity and limited transparency persist, undermining public trust and highlighting deep-rooted issues of corruption, state repression, and the urgent need for reform in Kenya.