Nyanza leaders praise calm during Gen Z protest Anniversary

Leaders allied to Kenya’s ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have praised residents of the Nyanza region for not taking part in demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z anti-Finance Bill protests.

The anniversary had prompted demonstrations in several parts of the country, but much of Nyanza, including Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya and Migori counties, remained largely calm.

Speaking in Kisumu on Friday, UDA Homa Bay County Chairman Kennedy Obuya said residents had chosen peaceful civic participation instead of street protests.

“Our people demonstrated maturity by choosing peace over chaos. Instead of taking to the streets, many lined up to register as voters and apply for national identification cards,” he said.

Mr Obuya said political participation could be expressed through constitutional processes rather than demonstrations, adding that maintaining peace would support development and national unity.

He also praised the Ministry of Interior and security agencies for what he described as effective planning that helped maintain order during the anniversary.

“Without the coordinated efforts by our security agencies, the country could have woken up to widespread destruction of property and many unnecessary deaths,” he said.

Mr Obuya urged residents to support the broad-based government and cautioned against leaders whom he accused of using political rhetoric to incite violence.

UDA Nyanza Regional Coordinator Aggrey Otore also welcomed the calm, saying members of the Luo community living in different parts of the country had similarly stayed away from the demonstrations.

“We saw our people in Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns choosing peace by keeping away from the demonstrations,” he said.

Mr Otore said the peaceful atmosphere reflected a growing preference among citizens for dialogue and development.

He also commended the national government for implementing development projects in the Nyanza region.

The anniversary of the June 2024 Gen Z protests had been expected to trigger fresh demonstrations in several parts of Kenya.

While protests were reported in some areas, political leaders in Nyanza said they hoped the calm witnessed across the region would strengthen national cohesion and encourage greater participation through constitutional and democratic processes.