Government Accountability

Youth-Led Protests in Kenya Reveal Deep Failures in Governance and Police Accountability

By National Correspondent | June 25, 2025

Kenya’s Generation Z is boldly confronting enduring police violence and government corruption as protests erupt amid economic hardship and broken promises of reform.

Across Nairobi and other Kenyan cities, youth-led protests have surged once again, shining a harsh light on persistent police brutality and chronic government mismanagement. Marking the anniversary of last year’s deadly demonstrations against oppressive tax hikes, thousands of young Kenyans are demanding justice for victims of state violence and an end to corrupt governance.

Despite President William Ruto’s warnings against violence and efforts to suppress live media coverage mid-day through the Communications Authority of Kenya, the protesters’ voices grow louder on social media platforms. These platforms have become crucial outlets for sharing updates, memorializing slain activists, and exposing government failures that mainstream channels seek to obscure.

Systemic Police Brutality Ignites Calls for Accountability

The death of a street hawker during recent protests has intensified public outcry. While Kenyan courts have ordered investigations into two officers suspected of shooting him, no meaningful accountability has yet materialized. Human rights activist Hussein Khaled underscores this gap: “Not a single officer has been held to account,” he says. This impunity fuels ongoing fear and frustration among citizens who see their lives undervalued by a system that protects abusive law enforcement at the expense of justice.

Economic Hardship Among Youth Spurs Unrest

The backdrop to these protests is a bleak economic landscape. With 67% youth unemployment in Kenya—a nation where 70% of the population is under 30—young people face grim prospects under policies that fail to deliver opportunity or relief from poverty. The finance bill that sparked last year’s deadly unrest was scrapped but partially reintroduced in new forms, including a controversial healthcare levy tied to income, further burdening ordinary Kenyans while elite officials flaunt extravagance.

Accusations against President Ruto include misuse of taxpayer funds for lavish trips abroad amid growing public suffering. Ruto’s subsequent cabinet reshuffle sought to quell dissent but instead drew scorn for appointing questionable figures seen as extensions of existing dysfunction rather than agents of change.

A Nation Demands True Reform Beyond Lip Service

The disillusionment extends beyond governance into opposition parties accused of complacency after joining Ruto’s administration instead of mounting genuine resistance. Protesters like Sevelina Mwihaki express profound weariness with empty promises: “Enough is enough … We are here for change, it is time for us to get our nation (back). The blood that we have shed is enough.”

This turmoil underscores a broader truth relevant not only for Kenya but globally: when governments fail their youth with corruption and abuse, they risk destabilizing their nations from within. The courage shown by Kenyan youth should inspire vigilance everywhere about holding governments accountable to protect freedom, sovereignty, and dignity—values every nation must uphold.