Kenyan streets erupted in coordinated protest on Wednesday as young people, mostly dressed in black, took over towns and cities in a show of resilience to mark the first anniversary of last year’s deadly anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.

From Nairobi  to Kisii, the Gen Z-led protests unfolded with chants, bonfires, placards, and defiance, as demonstrators confronted police in various parts of the country while demanding justice and political accountability.

The protests, though varied in intensity across regions, carried a unified message—young Kenyans will not be silenced.

In Nairobi, the city centre was engulfed in teargas and tension by midday as protesters defied road closures and heavy police presence near Parliament. Chanting “Ruto Must Go” and “Reject Finance Bill!”, they stood their ground even as officers in armoured trucks attempted to disperse them.

The black-clad demonstrators linked arms and resisted pressure from riot police. “They want us to fear, but we are not afraid,” shouted one protester, as others banged road signs and waved placards.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga joined demonstrators in the capital, urging restraint while criticising the state’s response.

“These people are peaceful, and what I have told them—and I continue telling them—is to have a peaceful demonstration. That’s what is important,” Maraga told journalists on Kimathi Street.

He condemned the decision to block Parliament Road, where families of victims had hoped to lay wreaths.

In Eldoret, a procession of hundreds of youth that began at the main market quickly escalated into chaos after they encountered a hostile group armed with clubs. Police intervened by forming a human shield between the two sides along Oginga Odinga Street, prompting businesses to shut as tension rose.

Demonstrators later lit bonfires and barricaded Namanga Road with stones while chanting anti-government slogans, as police responded with rounds of teargas in an hours-long standoff.

Kisii saw scenes of confrontation between protesters and police, with burning tyres sending thick smoke into the air as officers struggled to control crowds. In Nyeri, the protests remained peaceful but saw large turnouts, as residents joined the national call for accountability.

In Makueni, demonstrators blocked the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway using flaming barricades, prompting a police response with teargas. Similar scenes played out in Kitengela town in Kajiado County, where roads were obstructed, and traffic came to a standstill. The Namanga–Nairobi Highway was blocked with stones, halting transport and straining movement in and out of the town.

Elsewhere, bonfires were reported in Kiambu’s Ruiru Subcounty, where protesters gathered near the Tatu City junction on Thika Road.

In Embu, demonstrators lit fires around the Cylet area, watched closely by anti-riot police. Bungoma witnessed smaller crowds gathering at Chwele market.

In Mombasa, protesters began their day with a mass at the ACK Cathedral on Nkrumah Road, before marching through Moi Avenue to the Mapembeni area.

Holding placards and singing, they honoured victims of last year’s protests as most businesses in the city remained shut.

Despite differences in scale and mood across regions, protesters maintained a consistent message. “We are not here for violence. “We are here for our future.”