Two years later, Kenyan families are still seeking justice after the Gen Z protests Objections

Nairobi, Kenya – June 25, 2024 is the day many families in Kenya now write in silence. What began as youth-led protests against the Finance Bill escalated into international protests, with protesters storming the grounds of Parliament during the riots. In the violence that followed, people were killed and others disappeared, according to rights groups and government figures. Two years later, some families say they are still searching for answers.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 reported that 26 people related to the 2024 anti-money protests and 15 related to the 2025 protests are missing.

On Tuesday, the families of those killed, along with civil society groups, held a memorial service in Nairobi and called for accountability and reform of the police.

The price of disagreement

“I don’t like to see photos and videos of Denzel. They are a painful reminder of my son. When the anniversary comes, I cry. That’s why I stay away from public discussions about these things,” said James Otieno, who told Al Jazeera that he is the father of Denzel Omondi.

Denzel Omondi, 23, went missing days after taking part in #OccupyParliament protests. His family said he was arrested by police at a house in Nairobi where he lives with relatives, shortly after filming a video showing protesters inside Parliament.

Otieno said no one has been charged in the death of his son and the family is still waiting for the investigation to progress.

Denzel was among 62 people killed in protests against the 2024 budget, according to government officials and a rights group cited in an investigation into the protests.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said that only three of the 62 people who died appeared in court.

In its letter on June 22, IPOA said that three cases are in court, three went to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review, one is being reviewed by internal rules, four were closed after internal investigation, five were closed following the instructions of the ODPP, and 46 are being investigated.

Speaking to The Star newspaper, IPOA’s deputy chairperson, Anne Wanjiku Mwangi, said the investigation involved several agencies and relied on evidence and the prosecutor’s assessment.

“The prosecution of the case in court depends on the amount of evidence and the results of the investigation by the prosecutors and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP),” he said.

He added that some cases may be closed if they do not meet the threshold, while others may require investigative work.

Missing without a trace

For Susan Wangari Wanjohi, the search for her son Emmanuel Kamau Mukuria has lasted more than two years, she told Al Jazeera.

Mukuria went missing on June 25, 2024 after being arrested at Imenti House in Nairobi’s central business district. He was 24 years old.

According to Mr Wanjohi, his son left home to look for work as a common man. His friends later told him that they saw him being arrested by the police.

“There is no prison I have not been to in this country in search of my son,” he said. “I know he’s alive somewhere and I just want the government to bring him back to me the way he is.”

He said he believed it was impossible for someone to be arrested.

“I have suffered a lot, but I know that one day he will be released from wherever he is being held and he will return home,” she said.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 says at least 41 people related to the Kenyan protests are still missing, including 26 from 2024 and 15 from 2025.

Complaints about the disappearance of people who have been forced to do so have increased following reports of people being abducted in Mathare area of ​​Nairobi.

Authorities have also issued warnings against commemorative marches, saying they could lead to violence, according to reports in local media.

The cost of a lost life

The government has started a program to compensate people who suffered human rights violations as a result of protests and demonstrations between 2013 and 2025.

In his statement released on Tuesday, the chairman of the commission for compensation for human rights violations Makau Mutua said that participation is voluntary and only those who have agreed.

The program covers 348 people who have been confirmed, with a total of $3.46m in the first phase.

The families of the 115 victims will receive $23,148 each, a total of $2.66m.

Twenty-four victims who are classified as seriously injured will receive $7,730 each, while 137 with minor injuries will receive $3,865 each.

An additional $23,148 has been awarded to 60 victims of minor injuries, $61,728 to eight victims of sex offenders, and $1,545 to four victims placed on financial hardship.

The affected families have criticized the policy, saying that refunds do not affect responsibility.

Police response to surveillance

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Missing Voices Coalition, have documented allegations of brutality, arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances during protests in Kenya.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said that at least 63 people died, 610 were injured, and 74 were forced to disappear during the 2024 protests, including 26 people who are still missing.

Amnesty International said at least 60 people were killed in the protests, citing the use of live weapons and other forms of human control.

The Missing Voices Coalition said it has recorded 104 police killings in 2024 and 125 in 2025, based on cases recorded by police. It also listed pressing needs at the same time.

Rights groups said more deaths and disappearances occurred during protests in 2024 and 2025, and that the numbers could be higher due to cases that have not been properly reported and not solved.

The 2020 World Internal Security and Police Index ranked the Kenyan police force 125 out of 127 countries, placing it among the lowest in the world in terms of institutional effectiveness.

“Even if you give me 20 million, it will not be compensation for my son’s life. What we want is accountability. Those responsible should be brought to court. This is the only justice we want,” said James Otieno.

“Does participation in public demonstrations or expressing feelings lead to death?