The anatomy of civic repression is a regional threat to peace and integration
A group of protesters on Moi Avenue in Mombasa on June 25, 2025. The protest was in commemoration of victims of police brutality during the June 2024 protests.
Across East Africa, civic mobilisation is rising, met by repression, criminal infiltration, and democratic backsliding.
On June 25, 2025, Kenyans returned to the streets to mark the anniversary of the 2024 youth-led demonstrations. Initially triggered by the Finance Bill’s proposed tax increases, the protests quickly evolved into a broader uprising against governance failures, inequality, and civic repression. Thousands rallied to honour those killed, demand justice, and assert their right to shape the country’s future.
