2024 has proven to be a year that will be remembered in history for its frequent events that shaped the political situation of the country.
Major events, such as the invasion of parliament during the protest of opposing the Finance Bill which caused part of the townships to be burnt, will be remembered for years to come.
Former DP Rigathi Gachagua also faced his drama in 2024 after he had to flee for his life after hooligans disrupted the funeral he attended.
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya.
The year 2024 is expected to be remembered as one of the biggest events in the political field of the country.
Source: Twitter
That year witnessed several firsts in the country, including the first-ever invasion of parliament and the removal of a sitting vice president under the 2010 constitution, which led to his sudden illness.
Here is a breakdown of the key political events that made 2024 an amazing year.
What are the political events of Kenya 2024?
1. Invasion of Parliament
One cannot mention 2024 without talking about the Gen Z protests that led to the infamous congressional invasion.
Protesters stormed the Parliament Building in the Central Business District in Nairobi on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 25, shortly after lawmakers passed the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
Police officers near the parliament were quickly overwhelmed as the crowd vandalized its gates.
On the same day, part of the Kenyan parliament was set on fire, clearly showing the anger of many Kenyans.
The MPs who were still in the area were forced to escape from the rooms to the basement, trying to escape while the determined protesters searched the building.
About 50 people have reportedly been injured by gunfire as police battled hundreds of protesters.
Pictures emerged showing protesters eating at the Parliament cafeteria amid protests against the 2024 Finance Bill.
The photos he shared Winnie Odinga they show the protesters looking comfortable despite entering the heavily guarded building.
2. Rigathi Gachagua suddenly fell ill
Another notable event occurred when former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua suddenly fell ill shortly before his attendance at the Senate impeachment trial on Thursday, October 17.
Gachagua was rushed to The Karen hospital after complaining of severe chest pain.
This raised questions among Kenyans, with many wondering if Gachagua was feigning illness or was stressed by the impeachment process.
It was later revealed that Gachagua was diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart disease, following severe chest pains linked to the stress of the impeachment trial.
Gachagua was discharged from Karen Hospital on Sunday, October 20, after being hospitalized for three days.
Despite being admitted to the hospital, the Senate continued with the motion to dismiss him, leading to his removal from office and then the appointment and swearing in of his successor, Kithure Kindiki.
3. Gilbert Masengeli fails to respect the summons of the court
Another surprising incident occurred when Gilbert Masengeli, the former Acting Auditor General, caused controversy by failing to honor court summons six times.
On Monday, September 9, Masengeli was required to appear in court to explain the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of three people in Kitengela.
However, the police chief sent DIG Eliud Lagat of the Kenya Police Service to represent him, saying he was insecure about security issues.
As a result, Judge Lawrence Mugambi found Masengeli guilty of disobeying a court summons.
In a ruling on Monday, September 9, a High Court judge said that indifference and defiance will not be tolerated, and those determined to break the law will not be protected.
A week after Masengeli was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court, he appeared in court on Friday, September 20.
Giving that position, Masengeli, under oath, asked for mercy from Judge Mugambi, saying his absence from court was not intentional and was due to work duties.
However, he appreciated that obeying and implementing court orders is one of his duties as a police officer.
4. Failure of the police to arrest Jimi Wanjigi
Another shocking incident of the year occurred when men believed to be police officers raided a businessman's house Jimi Wanjigi in an attempt to arrest him, but they did not succeed.
Several days later, on Friday, August 9, Wanjigi appeared in public again after the decision of the High Court to prevent his arrest.
The businessman assured the police that, no matter what, they would never find him at his house.
Wanjigi also recounted a similar incident in 2017 when the police raided his house, resulting in the ODM leader Raila Odinga stay awake all night to prevent their actions.
5. Chaos while hooligans disrupt the funeral attended by Gachagua
The problems of the former deputy president increased when he was caught in a life-threatening conflict after thugs infiltrated the funeral he attended in Limuru, Kiambu county, on Thursday, November 28.
Gachagua had attended the funeral of his late friend Erastus Nduati, who is also known as Mwene Limuru, when suspected thugs disrupted the event and injured several people.
The riots started when thugs started shaking the tent where Gachagua and his close allies including Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa were sitting.
Shortly before Gachagua addressed the mourners, a group of locals started trying to tear down the tent, causing those inside to flee in fear.
The worshipers were seen running for safety as rival groups faced each other in heated arguments, destroying property of unknown value.
Gachagua and other senior officials at Limuru's funeral were hurriedly escorted to their safety by their security officers.
Was there a 2023 protest?
In 2023, the country's Media Council (MCK) raised serious concerns about plainclothes police officers posing as journalists during anti-government protests.
One such incident was witnessed on Wednesday, July 19, when a plainclothes police officer arrested a protester after pretending to be a journalist covering the event.
In Mathare, Nairobi county, the anti-riot officers dealt with a group of rioting youths who were armed with stones and other missiles, ready to cooperate with the security officers in fighting.
Editing by Asher Omondi, current affairs reporter and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Read ENGLISH VERSION
Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
