Kenya is bracing for a wave of nationwide demonstrations planned for Wednesday, June 25, as Gen Z activists and other citizens prepare to commemorate those who lost their lives during the deadly anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests. These planned rallies aim to reaffirm the right to peaceful assembly, demand justice for victims of police brutality, and call for greater government accountability, amidst heightened tensions and conflicting directives from various stakeholders.

The international community has weighed in, with ambassadors and high commissioners from twelve nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, issuing a joint statement. They have urged the Kenyan government to facilitate peaceful demonstrations, emphasizing every Kenyan's right to peaceful assembly and expression. The envoys condemned the use of violence and renewed calls for swift, transparent, and independent investigations into allegations of police brutality. A particular concern highlighted was the deployment of plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles, a tactic ruled unlawful by the High Court, which they urged full compliance with. Furthermore, the diplomats expressed distress over reports of