As Kenya nears the one-year mark since the historic June 25 anti-Finance Bill protests, survivors and victims are now demanding answers and action from President William Ruto, particularly regarding compensation pledges he made after the unrest.
One of the most vocal among them is Antony Chege, a 25-year-old protester who survived a gunshot wound during the demonstrations.
He is still recovering from the injuries he sustained after being shot near Parliament. Chege has publicly called on President Ruto to honor his commitment to compensate victims who were wounded or lost loved ones during the violent police crackdown.
Chege painfully recalled the events of June 25, describing the day as one of the darkest in Kenya’s recent history.
He said the youth were peacefully demanding better governance and a fairer financial future for Kenyans, only to be met with brutal force by law enforcement.
“What I saw that day was like something out of a horror film,” Chege said. “Police officers treated us like we were enemies.
They fired at us without mercy. It felt like watching maize stalks being cut down by harvesters—only this time, it was human beings being gunned down.”
Chege was among the thousands of Gen Z protesters who filled the streets of Nairobi to demonstrate against the controversial Finance Bill, which many feared would worsen the already dire economic situation in the country.
Although the protests started out peaceful, they quickly turned chaotic after police opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, leaving dozens injured and several reportedly dead.
Chege recalled being shot in the leg near the Holy Family Basilica while fleeing from the violence. The impact of the bullet didn’t register immediately due to the adrenaline of the moment. “It was only after I got to Nation Centre that I realized I had been shot,” he said.
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Tragically, a fellow protester and close companion, David Chege, was fatally shot just moments before him. The trauma of witnessing a friend die right beside him has left a permanent emotional scar.
Since being discharged from the hospital, Chege’s life has drastically changed. Unable to walk properly or support his family due to the injury, he has been stuck at home, struggling both physically and emotionally.
Last month, President Ruto issued a public apology to Kenyan youth for the government’s role in the violent dispersal of the protests.
However, Chege dismissed the apology, calling it hollow and insincere. He believes that true accountability can only be demonstrated through action—particularly, by compensating victims and acknowledging the pain of families who lost their loved ones.
“I couldn’t accept that apology,” Chege said firmly. “How do you apologize to people who are already dead?
The president should visit the families of those who lost their lives and those still lying in hospital beds. Those are the people who truly deserve his apology.”
With the national budget announcement expected in June, attention has shifted back to Parliament, where Kenyans are already voicing concerns about the upcoming Finance Bill 2025.
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Many fear it mirrors the same policies that sparked last year’s deadly protests.
As frustration builds, the youth of Kenya are calling on the government to listen—not with bullets, but with real action. Chege’s story is just one among many, and his message to President Ruto is clear: match your words with deeds and provide justice for the lives disrupted and lost.
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