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Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets on 25 June 2025, exactly one year after last summer’s deadly Finance Bill protests, and clashed with security forces in Nairobi and other major cities. 

The demonstrations, marked by chants of “Ruto must go” and protesters waving olive branches as symbols of peaceful dissent, quickly turned violent when police deployed tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition to push back the crowds.

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According to a joint statement by the Kenya Medical Association, the Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group, at least eight protesters were killed and 400 were injured—including eight who suffered gunshot wounds and three police officers among the casualties.

Human rights group Amnesty Kenya even put the death toll at 16, citing unverified reports of bodies moved into police vehicles.

President William Ruto, speaking at a burial ceremony in Kilifi, urged calm:

“We must make sure that the demonstrations we hold are peaceful. The demonstrations should not lead to the destruction of property because we do not have another country to go to when things go wrong. It is our responsibility to keep our country safe.” 

Despite a government ban on live TV and radio coverage—later overturned by the Nairobi High Court—footage of smoke plumes and teargas clouds went viral on social media, with young protesters describing harsh beatings and mass arrests. In central Nairobi, barricades of razor wire sealed off roads to State House and Parliament, where wreaths and handwritten notes recalled last year’s fatalities.

Analysts warn that simmering grievances over police brutality, economic hardship and perceived government corruption remain unresolved, setting the stage for further unrest as Kenyans mark another anniversary of resistance against the Ruto administration.

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