Karua calls on Kenyans to turn out for June 25 memorial amid Ruto’s warning
By Mustafa Juma, June 19, 2026People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has called on Kenyans to participate in the upcoming June 25 memorial, honouring young people who died during the 2024 Gen Z-led anti-Finance Bill protests.
Karua, in a statement shared via her official X account on Friday, June 19, 2026, reflected on the human cost of the protests and urged the country to remember those who lost their lives while demanding accountability, justice, and better governance.
“As a young activist, my own family worried when we took a stand against injustice and challenged those in power. But I always came home,” Karua stated.
She added that many young Kenyans who took part in the protests were not as fortunate.
“Mama Rex’s son did not, Eric Shieni did not, Evans Kiratu did not, Denzel Omondi and many other children who answered the call of conscience in June 2024 but did not make it home,” she said.
Karua described June 25 as a day of remembrance and solidarity, emphasising that it should serve as a moment for national reflection on the cost of civic activism and the importance of accountability.
“June 25th is a day to remember young Kenyans who believed enough in their country to stand up for it. A day to stand with the families who continue to carry that loss and a day to affirm that no Kenyan should lose their life for demanding accountability, justice, and a better future,” she stated.
She called on Kenyans to come together in remembrance, hope, and solidarity with bereaved families as the country marks the second anniversary of the 2024 protests.
Ruto cautions against disruption
Karua’s call comes just hours after President William Ruto issued a strong warning against any attempts to disrupt normal economic and social activities during the June 25 anniversary period.
Speaking at the National Productivity and Performance Conference at State House, Nairobi, on June 19, 2026, the president emphasised that the government will not tolerate chaos, destruction of property, or disruptions to public order.
“The one thing that is not going to happen is that people will be mobilised to destroy property or to cause chaos or mayhem. That will not happen,” Ruto said.
He added that all sectors of the economy must continue operating normally during the commemorative period.
“Children will go to school because it’s their right. Workers will go to work because that’s how we raise the productivity of our nation. Businesses will open and grow our economy. Farmers too and everybody so that we can take the nation forward,” he added.
Siaya Governor James Orengo had called for a total shutdown on June 25, warning that children should not even go to school.
The president’s remarks are being interpreted as a pre-emptive warning aimed at ensuring stability as the country approaches a politically sensitive anniversary marked by both remembrance and unresolved tensions.
Rising political sensitivity around June 25
The June 25 commemoration has increasingly become a focal point of national political discourse, reflecting deeper divisions over the legacy of the 2024 Gen Z protests and the handling of youth-led demonstrations.
For many Kenyans, particularly families of victims, the date represents a moment of grief and reflection. For political leaders, however, it has also become a point of tension over how public gatherings, memorials, and demonstrations should be managed.
Activists and civil society groups have also consistently called for justice and accountability for those who lost their lives during the protests.