By Miraj Guo | 12 August 2026
As youths around the world mark International Youth Day, youths and human rights defenders in Mombasa today arrived at the Mombasa County Assembly to present proposed amendments addressing issues affecting young people in the county.
The group said they had gathered to hold a peaceful demonstration and present their proposals to the County Assembly leadership, calling for greater youth participation in governance, decision-making and the formulation of policies affecting their future.
The proposed amendments seek to highlight key challenges facing young people in Mombasa and push for greater representation and inclusion of youth voices in county affairs.
The youths proceeded to present their proposed amendments to the County Assembly leadership. However, minutes after the presentation, chaos erupted outside the Assembly premises after a group of individuals, allegedly armed with weapons, confronted and attacked the demonstrators.
The confrontation sparked panic, forcing some of the youths and other people at the scene to scatter in search of safety. Some demonstrators reportedly had their mobile phones and other personal belongings stolen during the incident.
The incident disrupted what had been planned as a peaceful engagement, raising concerns over the safety of young people and journalists participating in public activities.
The youths and human rights defenders condemned the alleged attacks, maintaining that they had gathered peacefully to exercise their right to petition and engage with county leaders on matters affecting the youth.
The group has also urged the County Assembly leadership to consider their proposed amendments and provide a platform for continued dialogue on issues affecting young people in Mombasa.
Despite the confrontation, the youths maintained that the incident would not deter them from advocating for greater youth representation, inclusion and meaningful participation in county governance.
The events have overshadowed International Youth Day activities in Mombasa, with the youths insisting that their call for their voices to be heard remains a peaceful effort to influence decisions affecting their future.
