The government has dismissed calls from opposition leaders to declare June 25 a public holiday in remembrance of Gen Z protesters killed during the 2024 anti-government demonstrations.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka had urged Kenyans to stay away from work on that day, calling it a symbolic gesture to honor the young lives lost during the protests.
However, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura firmly rejected the proposal, making it clear that June 25 will not be recognized as a public holiday. He urged citizens to continue with their daily economic activities without interruption.
“We have heard people say June 25 will be a public holiday. There is no public holiday on June 25. It is a working day if it falls on a weekday,” Mwaura stated.
Speaking during the Sema na Spox forum on Tuesday night, Mwaura criticized the opposition’s push, calling it divisive and politically motivated. He urged the public to ignore such appeals and focus instead on national unity and development.
According to Mwaura, declaring the day a holiday would be equivalent to celebrating a tragedy. He accused opposition leaders of trying to exploit the emotional weight of the protests to reignite political tensions and score points.
“Whatever people are trying to do is to recreate the Gen Z movement. We want to tell them that that is a thing of the past. We must move forward,” he added.
Mwaura emphasized that the government remains committed to healing and national progress, not reigniting past unrest.
On the other hand, Kalonzo Musyoka continues to advocate for the recognition of June 25 as a day of national significance. He described it as a “liberation day” meant to challenge injustice, condemn abductions, fight corruption, and speak against the economic hardships many Kenyans face.
“I want to make a serious proposal to honour the young Kenyans who died, many of them on June 25, which I call J25. If it meets the approval of young Kenyans, we will declare it a public holiday,” Kalonzo said.
