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President William Ruto’s first term in office has been an eventful one, characterized by progress as well as its fair share of chaos, protests and criticism.
Unlike previous protests that were largely organised around political personalities, Ruto’s tenure has seen protests take a life of their own, with Kenyans from all walks of life rallying around issues and organically mobilising themselves to take to the streets.
Here are some of the notable protests and the issues that have kept Kenyans on the streets as with security agencies on their toes.
Ruto's first encounter with opposition protests
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President Ruto faced his first protests as soon as he settled in the office with the opposition mobilizing Kenyans to hit the streets in protest.
At the time, the cost of living, electoral reforms, corruption and meddling in the affairs of other political parties was among the items tabled by the opposition.
Raila Odinga addressing the demonstrator in Eastleigh Nairobi on Monday, March 20, 2023
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga and other principals were at the heart of it all insisting that Kenya Kwanza’s policies left thousands of Kenyans struggling to access goods and services essential to their rights, including food, health care, housing, and education.
Bi-weekly protests were announced with Tuesdays and Thursdays becoming days of protests with chaos reported across the country.
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A deal which saw the establishment of a National Dialogue Committee brought the protests to an end.
NADCO presented a report to Kenya’s political leadership and its implementation as well as whether the protests yielded anything is a different matter altogether.
Femicide & gender-based violence
Last year also saw Kenyans hit the streets to create awareness and demand decisive action to end femicide in the country.
The protests came in the backdrop of a surge in cases of femicide in the country with a similar trend noted in gender-based violence.
READ: Ending intimate partner violence in Kenya: How legal and social reforms can save lives
Police recovered bodies of young Kenyan women brutally murdered by their partners in different incidences.
According to data obtained from the National Police Service, at least 97 women were killed by intimate partners or people known to them in the months of August, September and October alone.
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Protestors during the end femicide march
Many more were injured with some of the attacks happening at short-stay accommodation facilities.
Abductions, enforced disappearances & detention
A surge in abductions preceded the Finance Bill 2024 protests and into the days that followed the deadly wave of protests in June with Kenyans actively engaging in criticising the government both on the streets and online.
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Activists, influencers and government critics were seized in broad daylight as well as during night raids with human rights agencies accusing the government of cracking down on dissent.
With the political class seemingly unbothered by the trend, Kenyans remained unbowed and took to the streets once again to demand an end to the abductions in December 2024 and into 2025.
A number of those who were abducted were released several days later. Some were however found dead.
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Although security agencies distanced themselves from the abductions, a statement by the president indicating that all those who had been taken away from their families had since been reunited with their loved ones appeared to leave little room for guesswork on who may have been involved.
Gen Zs and the June protests
June 2024 was a defining moment in Kenya’s history as an organic protest organized by gen Z shook the nation with Kenyans taking to the streets across different towns.
The protests were to demand the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024, better governance and accountability by the Kenya Kwanza regime amid concerns of unchecked corruption.
Protesters breached parliament buildings with security agencies opening fire and killing several Kenyans.
The protests came after elected leaders bulldozed their way through with the controversial bill that was set to increase taxation, ignoring concerns from the citizenry.
President William Ruto eventually conceded and called for the withdrawal of the bill.
Kenyans took to the streets on June 25, 2025 to mark on year anniversary in remembrance of those killed during last year’s protests.
The day turned out to be another bloody one with scores killed, several injured and property destroyed across different parts of the country.
Decomposed bodies discovered in Kware & suspect who escaped from police custody
Several bodies were recovered in an abandoned quarry in Kware area of Nairobi with activists linking the discovery to extra-judicial killings.
Nairobi residents, joined by a section of the civil society took to the streets in protest, demanding swift investigations to establish the truth behind the bodies that were wrapped in sacks.
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Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, also known as Collins Jomaisu Khalisia, is the prime suspect in the Kware murders case in Nairobi, Kenya
Police investigations identified Collins Jumaisi as the main suspect behind the killings which authorities clarified were not
Collins Jumaisi escaped from police custody and remains at large, leaving the matter open.
Police brutality & extra-judicial killings
The use of lethal force by the police, extra-judicial killing and police brutality has been a concern in the country for a long time.
The chilling murder of Albert Ojwang who was arrested from his home in Homa Bay, tortured and then killed while in police custody sparked a deadly wave of protests with Kenyans taking to the streets to demand swift action and the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of police Eliud Lagat.
The statement issued by the police did not make matters any better. Police initially claimed that Ojwang succumbed to injuries sustained when attempting to commit suicide by hitting his head on a wall.
This was dismissed with an autopsy indicating that he was tortured and killed.
Police only responded with lethal force, further angering Kenyans especially after the shooting of an unarmed hawker.
Two police officers have since been arrested in connection with the incident.