Kisii youth recall harsh State action during last year’s protests

Benuel Bosire, 25, who resides in Magena Ward, Bomachoge Borabu Constituency, Kisii County, recalls the harrowing events during the Nairobi protests on June 25 last year.
According to him, the protests were like no other that he had taken part in. The atmosphere was tense, and chaos erupted quickly.
He remembers how the police were overwhelming in number and aggressive from the start. They used wooden batons and tear gas indiscriminately on him and other peaceful protesters.
“Since that day, I have suffered physically and mentally. I still experience pain from the injuries I sustained from the beatings and the teargas,” Bosire remarks.
He was fortunate to receive treatment, but many others were not as lucky. The support was limited, and psychological help was almost non-existent.
“I want those responsible for the violence to be held accountable. We demand transparency and reforms so that no one else has to endure what we went through,” he urges.
Lucy Damian, 23, stands firm in her conviction that silence is no longer an option. A resident of Kisii County, she was among the many young people who took to the streets to protest against the Finance Bill and other government policies they viewed as oppressive.
“I joined the protest to demand our rights and to fight for a just county and country,” she says.
As a young person without a job, it was painful for her to see taxes being increased while there was no accountability. She says joining the demonstrations was about more than personal frustration; it was a moral obligation.
“If I stay silent, impunity will continue to thrive in our society. We need to speak out,” she insists.
“The 2024 Gen Z protests shook the country, but they also opened a window of possibility, one where young people could demand justice, dignity, and accountability in ways we hadn’t seen before,” Amisi Oyunge, the executive director of Armshield International Peace Champions (AIPeC Kenya), recalls the turning point.
He says the protests, which were sparked by the controversial Finance Bill, saw Kisii youth join nationwide demonstrations to denounce what they viewed as unconstitutional governance and economic oppression.
Amisi notes that during the protests, many youths faced brutal crackdowns from the police, while others were arrested and harassed.
In response, AIPeC Kenya quickly mobilised to support the youth-led movement, offering psychosocial support, legal aid, and safe spaces.
They facilitated physical safe spaces in Kisii where young people and human rights defenders could talk about what they went through, where they could process the violence, the fear, the trauma.
He adds that AIPeC Kenya, in collaboration with partners like Defenders Coalition, also organised workshops on civic education, digital security, and constitutional rights. These sessions equipped the youth with tools to better understand their rights and engage with the governance process more constructively.