Speaking on Sunday, November 10, 2024, during Governor Gladys Wanga’s thanksgiving ceremony in Rangwe, Homa Bay County, the vocal parliamentarian said that President William Ruto’s administration should honour the promise they made to families of the slain protesters.
“Nataka niambie serikali ya kwamba wale magen z waliuliwa wote serikali walisema wata wa compensate (I want to tell the government to honour their word and compensate the families of those Gen Zs who were killed during the protests) we want them to be compensated,” Babu Owino urged.
The protests became a focal point of national discourse, not just because of their intensity but because of the unprecedented involvement of Kenya’s youth, particularly Gen Zs.
For Gen Zs, many of whom are young professionals, students, or recent graduates facing economic instability, the Finance Bill 2024 was viewed as an attack on their future. Unemployment rates among the youth were already high, and the proposed new taxes threatened to worsen their economic plight.
This cohort quickly mobilised on social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram, where the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 and #RutoMustGo trended for weeks. They shared real-time updates, organized protest locations, and called out the government.
Their slogans and placards often went beyond the immediate issue of the Finance Bill, calling for broader reforms and accusing the political elite of being out of touch with the realities faced by ordinary Kenyans.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 39 people were killed and hundreds more injured in anti-government demonstrations.
“Data from our records indicates that 39 people have died and 361 [have been] injured in relation to the protests countrywide,” KNCHR stated, adding that the figures covered the period from June 18, 2024, to July 1, 2024.
The toll announced by KNCHR was almost double the figure previously disclosed by the authorities for those killed while contesting a set of unpopular tax increases.
