Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has admitted that the government cannot guarantee that criminal elements will not infiltrate the planned June 25 demonstrations, even as he pledged a tough response against anyone who engages in violence, looting, or destruction of property during the protests.

Speaking during a televised interview on a local TV station on the night of Monday, June 22, 2026, ahead of the nationwide commemorations marking the second anniversary of the historic June 25, 2024, anti-Finance Bill protests, Murkomen said security agencies would protect peaceful demonstrators but could not prevent every potential troublemaker from joining the protests.

“I cannot guarantee there will be no goons. I can only guarantee security,” Murkomen said.

“For us, any person who is going to organise goons, people who come with machetes, carry rungus and matchsticks, and steal people’s goods, we will deal with them according to the law.”

The Interior CS added that while the government lacked the capacity to pre-emptively stop every suspected criminal from participating in demonstrations, law enforcement agencies would act decisively against anyone found engaging in unlawful activities.

“I cannot guarantee 100 per cent that we will have enough police officers to lock potential goons in their homes, but what I can guarantee Kenyans is that we will be ruthless when it comes to dealing with criminals who would want to infiltrate any peaceful protests,” he said.

Murkomen also appealed to protest organisers to work closely with the police to facilitate adequate security arrangements.

“We ask the organisers of the protests to work with police officers so that we can provide enough security for them,” he said.

June 25 commemoration

This year’s demonstrations are being organised to commemorate the events of June 25, 2024, when thousands of largely young Kenyans protesting the Finance Bill breached Parliament grounds in Nairobi, prompting a deadly confrontation with security forces. The protests forced President William Ruto to withdraw the controversial Finance Bill after nationwide outrage over proposed tax measures.

The anniversary has evolved into a broader symbol of youth activism, accountability, and demands for justice for those who lost their lives during the demonstrations.

Organisers, including Gen Z activists and civil society groups, have called for peaceful marches, vigils, and memorial events across the country to honour the victims of the 2024 protests. Reports indicate that youth leaders have rejected calls to cancel the demonstrations and insist the commemoration will proceed as planned.

The planned events have, however, generated intense political debate.

Some opposition leaders have framed the anniversary as a day of remembrance for victims of police brutality and state repression. At the same time, government allies have urged Kenyans not to disrupt businesses, schools, and public services.

Security fears ahead of marches

Murkomen’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the possibility of violence during the commemorations.

The issue of “goons” infiltrating protests has become particularly sensitive following findings by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) during last year’s anniversary demonstrations. The commission reported receiving credible information that criminal groups infiltrated protests in several counties, where they allegedly engaged in looting, violence, and destruction of property.

KNCHR also documented fatalities, injuries, arrests, and allegations of excessive force during the June 25, 2025, anniversary protests, which marked the first anniversary of the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations. The commission said it monitored protests in more than 20 counties and recorded widespread human rights concerns.

The Interior Ministry has repeatedly emphasised that while the Constitution guarantees the right to assemble, demonstrate, and present petitions, those rights must be exercised peacefully and without infringing on the rights of others.

Government insists June 25 is not a public holiday

As preparations for the demonstrations intensify, the government has also clarified that June 25 is not a public holiday and that public institutions, businesses, and schools are expected to operate normally.

Nevertheless, activists and organisers continue to mobilise supporters online and through civic networks, urging Kenyans to participate in what they describe as a national day of remembrance and reflection on the events that reshaped the country’s political landscape in 2024.

With security agencies on high alert and emotions running high ahead of the anniversary, all eyes will be on how both protesters and law enforcement conduct themselves during a commemoration that carries deep political and emotional significance for many Kenyans.