By Perez Karisa, June 24, 2026
Hundreds of residents and youth leaders in Kisumu took to the streets on Wednesday in a show of support for peace and dialogue, distancing themselves from the planned June 25 anniversary demonstrations and calling for alternative avenues to address national grievances.
The demonstrators marched through the Kisumu Central Business District carrying banners bearing messages such as “Nyanza for Peace” and “Lovers of Dialogue”, urging leaders and citizens to prioritize peaceful engagement over street protests.
The procession moved through major streets before culminating at government offices, where representatives presented petitions calling for enhanced security and structured dialogue between citizens and the government. The groups appealed to authorities to safeguard businesses and livelihoods from any possible disruptions associated with the planned commemorative protests.
Speaking during the march, participants said the region could not afford further economic interruptions, noting that traders and small businesses were still recovering from previous episodes of unrest. They argued that while Kenyans have a constitutional right to demonstrate, the country should now focus on healing, accountability, and addressing the grievances that gave rise to the Gen Z protests.
The residents further called for justice and compensation for victims of alleged extrajudicial killings and police brutality witnessed during previous demonstrations, insisting that such issues should be addressed through dialogue and institutional reforms rather than recurring street confrontations.
“We want peace, justice, and accountability. Continuous protests will only hurt businesses and ordinary wananchi who are trying to rebuild their lives,” one of the organizers said.
The anti-protest march has revealed growing divisions within Kisumu over how to commemorate the anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z demonstrations. While the pro-peace groups have opted for dialogue and engagement with authorities, other sections of residents and youth activists have maintained plans to proceed with peaceful processions.
Some groups have indicated that they intend to march from Kondele to deliver petitions on economic and governance concerns to the County Commissioner, emphasizing that their demonstrations will remain peaceful and within the confines of the law.
The differing positions reflect a broader national debate over the most effective means of pursuing reforms and commemorating the lives lost during previous protests. Civil society organizations, religious leaders, and business groups have continued to urge restraint, emphasizing the need to balance constitutional freedoms with the protection of lives and property.
Security agencies have meanwhile heightened surveillance across Kisumu and other major towns ahead of the June 25 anniversary, with authorities reiterating that peaceful assemblies will be protected but warning that acts of violence, looting, or destruction of property will not be tolerated.
As the country marks two years since the Gen Z protests that shook the nation, Kisumu finds itself at the center of a wider conversation about justice, accountability, and the path Kenya should take in addressing the demands of its youth.
