Kenyans, including families whose loved ones were killed, on Thursday, hit the streets to mark the second anniversary of the 2024 bloody protests sparked by the Finance Bill that imposed taxes on some items. 

Families of slain protesters joined the march to the Kenyan parliament in Nairobi, demanding justice for their loved ones and transparency in the government’s promised compensation.

The anniversary protests saw security agencies mount roadblocks around Nairobi, barring motorists from entering the capital city.

Gillian Munyao, whose son, Rex Masai, was killed during the protests, said, “Arrest the killer cops, that’s my message to the government,” as he spoke with journalists.

Edith Wanjiku, whose 19-year-old son, Ibrahim Kamau, was killed during the protests, said: “Only two out of 10 families whose children were shot that day near parliament have been compensated, and we are wondering what criteria the government is using.”

Last week, President William Ruto had said his government’s compensation for families of those killed during the 2024 protests represents “a state acknowledgement that harm occurred” but was not an admission of guilt.

The president warned that the compensation should not be seen as a “reward for violence or criminality.”

About 60 protesters were killed in the 2024 protests that lasted for several weeks, forcing Mr Ruto to withdraw the Finance Bill imposing taxes on Kenyans.

In the heat of the 2024 protests, Mr Ruto sacked his cabinet members. He also scrapped budgetary allocations for the offices of the first lady and the vice president’s wife to pacify protesters.