Maandamano: Parliament coils as Gen Z protest grips Nairobi
Protesters lit a bonfire along Kenyatta Avenue on June 25.
Parliament on Wednesday coiled under the weight of the threat of Gen Z protests as both the Senate and the National Assembly suspended committee meetings scheduled for the day.
The once vibrant multi-billion shilling Bunge Tower building, always teeming with MPs, State officers, governors and other witnesses invited by Parliamentary committees, cut a forlorn figure as minimal activities were witnessed in the precincts.
The usual bustle and hustle were replaced by heightened security, anti-riot police officers armed to the teeth and roads leading to and out of the Parliament Buildings and Bunge Tower barricaded with razor-sharp barbed wire rings erected.
The development stems from fears of unrest as Kenyans mark the first anniversary of the storming of Parliament in honour of individuals killed during anti-government protests last year.
The brutal killing of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ in police custody as well as the shooting of mask vendor Boniface Kariuki by police during protests against the death of Mr Ojwang’ have fueled the anger amongst Kenyans even more.
The twin developments have triggered a series of demonstrations in Nairobi, setting the stage for a defining day.
The youth had said they would walk towards Parliament and the President’s office to lay flowers along the road and light candles outside the premises in honour of their departed colleagues, further heightening the already palpable tension.
Two Senate watchdog committees – Senate County Public Accounts Committee and Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee – have been conducting meetings, but the two stayed clear on Wednesday and for the rest of the week.
The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, chaired by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, on Tuesday met Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi Counties before moving its sittings to Bomet, where they will meet the county government on Thursday.
On the other hand, the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, had two meetings on Monday with Siaya and Kisii Counties.
Activist-turned-politician, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, joined the protestors, while MPs allied to the opposition laid flowers outside Parliament as they also joined in.
At the National Assembly, the Public Investment Committee – Education and Governance, had to postpone its meeting as youth, marking the first anniversary of the deadly Gen Z protests of last year, took on the police in Nairobi streets.
The committee was to meet Kisii University, Mukiria Technical Training Institute and Karatina University in the morning, followed by Garissa University, Nyandarua National Polytechnic and Murang’a University in the afternoon.
Another committee meeting that was affected was the Environment, Forestry and Mining session that was to have Environment Principal Secretary (PS) Festus Ng’eno appear before MPs over an inquiry into alleged dumping of toxic and nuclear waste in North Eastern Kenya.
The committee was also set to meet Forestry PS Gitonga Mugambi over the undervaluation of Moi International Airport forest cover as well as the controversial construction of a hotel in Ngong Forest despite protests from the public.
But even at the National Assembly, where MPs were considering the Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2025 and other House business, empty seats dominated the Chamber as many of the lawmakers gave the plenary a wide berth.
The quorum bell had to be rung for some time in order to marshal enough MPs to commence the business of the day, as fear gripped the legislators.
Parliament was in the thick of things last year when hundreds of protestors stormed Parliament, angered by MPs passing the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 – which was at the centre of the demonstrations over its proposed punitive taxes – while the youth protested in the capital city’s streets.
“When you state you will march to the State House to take over, is that commemorating the 63 lives? They claim the protests will be peaceful, but last year tells a different story. They vowed to storm Parliament and cause destruction—and they did,” said Kesses MP Julius Rutto on Tuesday.
Sections of Kenya's parliament were set on fire as the protesters overwhelmed police to storm the compound where lawmakers had just passed the contentious bill that was to introduce a raft of new taxes.
The youthful protesters smashed windows and eventually made their way into the chambers in unprecedented scenes that left parts of parliament badly damaged. Some even set part of the building on fire.
“I was very scared and I prayed to God as about 22 young protesters surrounded me,” MP Rose Museo, who uses crutches, said last year.
Together with her colleague, nominated MP Jackson Kosgei, who uses a wheelchair, they were left stranded during the two-hour assault from which their colleagues escaped by scampering for safety through an underground tunnel.
At least 50 people were injured by gunfire, a paramedic outside parliament said, as police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators.
Police would open fire after tear gas and water cannons failed to disperse the young protestors, leading to a bloodbath where at least five people lost their lives in Parliament.
Last year’s demonstrations left more than 60 people dead and scores injured.
National Assembly Clerk Samuel Njoroge said the cost of damage caused during the protests, estimated at Sh200 million, does not compare to the lives lost and the injuries sustained on that fateful day.
He, however, admitted that the situation could have been avoided had Parliament adopted clear and effective communication, particularly concerning the budget cycle and the financing of the national budget.
Mr Njoroge said he had never felt as low as he did on that day. “The events of that day mark one of the darkest days for all Kenyans. It was an unprecedented incident that lowered the esteem of the legislature as an arm of government and as a representation of the people’s will,” he said.
“It would seem that various grievances coalesced on that particular day and placed a spotlight on the passage of only one piece of legislation. Misinformation, disinformation and consistent vilification of Parliament all played a part in the unfortunate events of that day,” added the clerk.
Nonetheless, he said things have significantly improved, especially in how Parliament engages with the public.