Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has vowed that June 25 will be formally recognised as a public holiday in honour of young Kenyans who lost their lives during the historic Gen Z protests of 2024.

Speaking outside Parliament Buildings on Thursday, June 25, 2026, during a memorial ceremony marking the first anniversary of the June 25 demonstrations, Kalonzo said the day had become a defining moment in Kenya’s democratic journey and deserved national recognition.

“We are witnessing the fact that this is the most successful public holiday because of the police barricading, so people could not come to places of work, and so on our part, we commit that when we take power next year, God willing, we shall formalise this day to be a proper public holiday,” Kalonzo said.

Kalonzo was joined by former Chief Justice David Maraga, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, lawyers, civil society activists, and families of victims as they laid flowers in memory of those killed during last year’s anti-government protests.

Kalonzo has described the day as one that symbolises the courage, sacrifice and determination of Kenyan youth in demanding accountability and better governance.

The leaders observed a moment of silence before laying flowers near Parliament, where protesters gathered in their thousands on June 25, 2024, to oppose the controversial Finance Bill. The demonstrations culminated in protesters breaching the parliament buildings, triggering a security response that left scores dead and many others injured.

Calls for social justice

Kalonzo said the sacrifices made by young Kenyans should never be forgotten and called for justice for victims and their families. He urged the government to respect constitutional freedoms and ensure those responsible for unlawful killings and injuries are held accountable.

The commemoration took place amid heavy security deployment across Nairobi, with police barricading several roads leading to the Central Business District and restricting access to Parliament. Despite the heightened security, Kenyans gathered in different parts of the country to honour those who died during the protests.

As flowers were laid at Parliament, the leaders said the memorial was not only about remembering the fallen but also about preserving the ideals for which they stood, including justice, accountability and democratic governance.