A year after the anti-Finance Bill protests that rocked Kenya, injured Gen Z demonstrators say they are still waiting for the justice and compensation they were promised.

Despite President William Ruto’s public assurance that victims and their families would be supported, survivors say those pledges have amounted to little more than empty rhetoric.

Many continue to live with the physical and emotional scars from the 2024 protests — bullets still lodged in their bodies, lost limbs, repeated hospital visits, and the heavy toll of being ignored by the state.

For 32-year-old Rogers Mwabe, who was shot in the leg during the Githurai demonstrations and later underwent an amputation, life has become a daily struggle. Once a mechanic, Mwabe is now out of work and dependent on well-wishers, having never received any assistance from the government.

“I’ve recorded statements with IPOA and followed all the necessary channels, but no help has come,” he says, lamenting that even his hospital bill of Ksh110,000 was only cleared through public donations. “The government hasn’t even acknowledged me.”

Dennis Wachira Wanjiku, 25, from Nyahururu, also lost a leg after being shot. Once a car interior designer, he now relies on family support.

Despite efforts to reach the government and even seeking help through the Law Society of Kenya, Wachira says nothing has come of it. “We submitted our documents, followed up for months, and still nothing,” he says.

For 24-year-old Tobias Thuo, who was shot near the groin inside Parliament’s premises, the trauma remains. He walks with difficulty and depends on weekly therapy, all paid for out of pocket.

“We were peaceful. We were fighting for our rights. But we were met with bullets. The government should at least show humanity,” he pleads.

The survivors say they are especially disheartened by the government’s recent swift compensation to the family of Albert Ojwang, a blogger who died in police custody, calling it a sign of selective justice.

“Why is one case getting priority while others have waited in vain for a year?” asks Peter Ekale, 21, who now suffers long-term complications from a gunshot injury.

President Ruto had also promised action on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances targeting youth activists, but no progress has been made.

The young survivors say they feel forgotten by a nation that once hailed their bravery but now ignores their pain.

Efforts to reach government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura for comment were unsuccessful.