Former Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio has called upon President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to address extrajudicial killings, missing persons and the compensation of victims as the country commemorates the first anniversary of the June 25, 2024, anti-finance bill protests.
Speaking at a local TV station on Monday, June 23, 2025, Poghisio stated that Odinga should speak more on these issues as he is now in government.
“As we commemorate June 25, President Ruto should talk about young people who have disappeared and been killed and how the government plans to compensate victims,” he said.
“That’s why sometimes I have to come back to Raila Odinga and say he can shout a little more about things he has said, because he has said things like everybody needs to be compensated; they need to have a compensation plan. He can raise his voice more even now that he is in government,” he added.
He has also warned the government against harassing or attacking protesters during the protests to honour those who lost their lives during last year’s anti-Finance Bill protests.
Furthermore, he has urged the government to allow Kenyan youths to commemorate the departed and the events the country went through in 2024.
“This is the time for the government to do what they promised last year and make sure there’s no more harassment this year. Let’s not threaten to harass them and attack them when they come out on the streets. Let’s give them a moment to celebrate and remember the things that the country went through,” he stated.
June 2024 protests
Opposition leaders and youth groups have vowed to return to the streets in honour of those who lost their lives during the 2024 demonstrations.
While the opposition has declared the day a symbolic holiday, the government has remained silent.
The 2024 protests saw thousands of Kenyans mobilize across major towns, with several fatalities reported and hundreds injured after clashes with police.
The protests were also largely fueled by growing concerns over governance and accountability, piling pressure on President William Ruto’s administration to act against corrupt, out-of-touch, and flamboyant leaders.
In response, President Ruto initiated a cabinet reshuffle that eventually led to its disbandment, the exit of several officials, and the partial return of others.
