Razor-sharp barbed wire placed on the entrance of Parliament Road on June 25, 2025 during the anti-government protest on June 25, 2025.
The threat of another invasion of Parliament on Wednesday as Gen Z protestors engaged police in running battles in Nairobi City saw many MPs give Parliament a wide berth.
Empty seats were witnessed in the National Assembly during a morning session as pockets of lawmakers tried to put a brave face, even as the youth descended in the capital city to mark the first anniversary of 2024 deadly protests.
But even the session did not last long before it was prematurely adjourned as the demonstrations turned chaotic.
The nationwide protests marking the anniversary of the June 25, 2024 demonstrations unfolded in at least 27 counties.
Bunge Tower and Parliament Buildings, always teeming with MPs, State officers, governors and other witnesses invited by Parliamentary committees, cut a forlorn figure as minimal activities were witnessed.
The usual bustle and hustle was 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.
A first term MP, who spoke on condition of anonymity, narrated how the few of them who were in Parliament were told to leave as the protests started getting out of hand.
Police stand guard along Parliament Road in Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during the anti-government protest on June 25, 2025.
He said some of them were at the Parliament restaurant when they received the alert, forcing even the adjournment of the House.
“We got information that the protests were becoming bigger and that the protestors might decide to come to Parliament, and so for security reasons, we were told to leave,” said the MP.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed told the Daily Nation they were forced to adjourn when the protests became chaotic.
He admitted that the protests could have contributed to his counterparts skipping the House sitting on Wednesday.
Leader of Majority in the national Assembly Kimani Ichung'wah (left) and Minority Leader Junet Mohamed at the County Hall, Nairobi on April 14, 2025.
“We were there in the morning and we only adjourned when the protests became chaotic. We could see from our phones that the situation was getting out of hand and this even made the afternoon session be canceled,” said the Suna East MP.
“We came in the morning knowing that the protests will be peaceful but when we saw chaos, we were forced to adjourn,” he added.
The National Assembly, the Public Investment Committee – Education and Governance, had to postpone its meeting to Thursday.
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.
Police on horseback patrol Parliament Road in Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during the anti-government protest on June 25, 2025.
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 controversial construction of a hotel in Ngong Forest despite protests from the public.
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi admitted that the protests contributed to the low turnout of lawmakers during House plenary on Wednesday morning and postponing of committee meetings.
Invasion of Parliament
He said there was a general climate of fear owing to the bad name MPs have been given since the June 25, 2024 invasion of Parliament.
“I did not attend the sitting on Wednesday morning as I was in the streets with the youth,” said Mr Amisi.
But it was not only MP Amisi who was in the streets as activist-turned politician, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah also joined the protestors, while MPs allied to the opposition laid flowers outside Parliament as they also joined in.
Busia senator Okiya Omtatah Sitting along Kimathi Street in Nairobi on June 25,2025 during demonstrations as Kenyans marked a year since the time when anti-Government Protesters stormed parliament leading to the death and injury of scores of them.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ said the Senate is in recess but criticised the move to barricade Parliament and make it look like a concentration camp.
He called the security measures as “grossly exaggerated”, saying leaders should never shield themselves from the people. Parliament must remain open and accessible to the public.
“It is true to say that the protests and outpouring of anger by the youth have pricked the conscience of the political class but this is unacceptable. Leaders should never shield themselves from the people. Parliament must remain open and accessible to the public,” said Mr Kajwang’.
Likuyani MP Innocent Mugabe said MPs could have stayed off Parliament because of the demonstrations but not because of fear of Gen Zs invading Parliament.
Nonetheless, he pointed out that Wednesday mornings see the House attend to private members’ Bills, hence the low attendance.
“Maybe some MPs looked at the inconvenience of demonstrators along the way but in Parliament we were assured of proper security. We live in different places and so if you live along Thika Road and the demonstrations start, you cannot leave your house,” said Mr Mugabe.
“But also considering that the National Assembly is going on recess, most MPs have started focusing on activities in their constituencies. Myself, I am planning for an empowerment programme on Friday and so I could not be in Nairobi,” he added.
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.
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.
Supermarkets broken into
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.
Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge said MPs who routinely attend Parliament were there but he argued that the kind of activities that were unfolding across the country had the respective MPs concerned and it was only wise to retreat to a place they were are able to monitor, coordinate and assist in ensuring that whatever was happening in your constituency does not go into full blown destruction.
“I heard of riots in Nyeri with some supermarkets being broken into. As Nyeri people representative, would I have sat in the House and felt unbothered about events unfolding in my constituency?” posed Mr Mathenge.
“It would be insensitive for Parliament to have assumed we do not have a serious challenge across the country and continue debating on an Order Paper that was prepared before the events that were unfolding.”
