Police break up Gen Zs’ protest to State House
By William Muthama, December 22, 2025Grieving families of youths killed during the 2024/25 Gen Z protests were caught in tear gas after police broke up a protest march in Nairobi.
The families, accompanied by activists, on Monday, December 22, 2025, had assembled at Jeevanji Gardens early in the morning with the intention of marching to the State House to demand justice, accountability, and reparations for those who lost their lives.
The protest also sought to mark 550 days since the killing of Rex Masai, who was the first victim to be shot during the Gen Z protests.
Many of the demonstrators were draped in Kenyan flags as they set off from the city centre, saying they wanted to seek an audience with President William Ruto over what they termed as delayed justice.
However, the march was cut short along Nyerere Avenue, where police officers on high alert blocked the group from proceeding to State House.
Anti-riot police later lobbed tear gas canisters, forcing protesters to scatter as others struggled to escape the choking fumes.
Arrests and condemnation
The protest also saw the arrest of activist Julius Kamau. In a video seen by K24 Digital, Kamau is seen being bundled into a police vehicle alongside another protester as officers moved in to disperse the crowd. His arrest drew sharp criticism from fellow activists.
Human rights defender Hussein Khalid condemned the arrest, questioning why police would target activists standing with grieving mothers. “Shame. Why arrest someone for standing with mothers of victims?” Khalid said in a post.
He further accused the National Police Service of operating as a force rather than a service, adding that instead of protecting citizens, officers were violating their rights. He called for Kamau’s immediate release under the hashtag #FreeJuliusKamau.