NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – Activists commemorating the June 25 Gen Z protests have rejected compensation as a substitute for accountability, demanding the arrest and prosecution of police officers implicated in the deaths of demonstrators.

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The activists further called for the establishment of a national memorial, and a formal apology from the government.

The demands were made outside Parliament on Thursday as activists, families of victims, and youth groups laid flowers in memory of those killed during the anti-government protests of 2024 and subsequent demonstrations.

Led by rights campaigners and civil society leaders, the commemorations unfolded amid a heavy security presence and extensive restrictions around Nairobi’s Central Business District, which remained largely deserted throughout the day.

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Vocal Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said the families and supporters of victims would not be satisfied with financial compensation alone, insisting that justice requires criminal accountability for officers responsible for protest-related deaths.

“We are not leaving here today until we lay these flowers and remember the Gen Z martyrs,” Khalid said.

“Compensation is not enough. We want justice. We want the killer cops arrested, removed from service, and charged in a court of law.”

Khalid argued that recurring deaths during demonstrations were evidence of a culture of impunity within law enforcement, questioning why officers linked to previous killings had not been prosecuted.

“The reason we repeatedly see killings during protests is because those responsible are still walking free. The government must explain who is protecting these killers,” he said.

He described the Gen Z movement as a turning point in Kenya’s political history, saying the protests had emboldened citizens to demand greater accountability from leaders.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya