By Editorial Team
NAIROBI, June 24, 2026 — University student leaders have announced that they will not take part in the planned June 25 street demonstrations, instead urging young people across the country to mark the day through prayer, reflection and solidarity with families who lost loved ones during the Gen Z protests of 2024 and 2025.
In a joint press statement, serving and former student leaders said the anniversary should be observed as a solemn moment of remembrance for the youths who were killed or injured during the protests, rather than another day of confrontation in the streets.
The leaders said the deaths robbed the country of promising young lives and shattered dreams that had barely begun to take shape. They also sent condolences to bereaved families and wished quick healing to those still carrying physical and emotional wounds from the protests.
At the same time, the student leaders strongly condemned what they described as the continued hijacking of peaceful youth movements by individuals and politicians seeking to settle personal and political scores.
They warned that while young people have often stepped forward to demand justice and accountability, some leaders have repeatedly taken advantage of that energy for selfish gain, leaving the youth exposed to violence, injury and death.
As a result, the student leaders urged comrades across the country to resist manipulation and avoid being drawn into demonstrations that could lead to loss of life, destruction of property and further instability.
Instead, they called on university students to spend the June 25 anniversary at home or in their institutions, especially those currently in session, as they reflect on the sacrifices made by fellow youths and pray with families still grieving.
The leaders said the day should serve as a reminder of the heavy price young Kenyans have paid in moments of national unrest, and as an opportunity for the youth to rethink their role in shaping a peaceful and just society.
Their decision to stay away from the streets signals a shift in tone from confrontation to commemoration, with the student leaders insisting that the anniversary should be used to honour fallen comrades, reflect on the future of the country and protect more young lives from being lost.
