Yo, the streets of Nairobi are hot right now, and the feds are completely shaking. On Thursday morning, June 25, 2026, the police didn't just set up regular checkpoints—they literally put the whole capital city on lockdown. They’re trying to block the Gen Z youth from pulling up to mark two years since they stood up, protested the tax hikes, and practically ran the politicians out of parliament.

If you were a regular working-person trying to get to your hustle this morning, you were completely out of luck. The cops blocked off all the major routes—Thika Super Highway, Mombasa Road, Nairobi-Namanga Highway in Athi River, Kenyatta Avenue, Waiyaki Way, and Jogoo Road. They got the city locked down so tight that commuters are just stranded, schools are closed, and shop owners had to shut their doors to keep their shops from getting caught in the crossfire.

This whole thing goes back to June 2024 when the youth had finally had enough of the government trying to squeeze every last shilling out of them with tax hikes. They took to the streets, stormed parliament, and forced the government to drop that shady finance bill. But that victory came with a heavy price. More than 80 people got taken out by the cops back then and during the anniversary protests last year, and the streets are still demanding justice for those lost lives.

Out in Githurai, the youth weren't trying to hear any of the police warnings. Tensions boiled over early, with flames and thick black smoke rising up as protesters lit fires in the middle of the road. The anti-riot squad showed up deep, firing tear gas into the crowds to scatter them, and putting cuffs on anyone trying to make their way into the city center.

While the streets are burning, the politicians are doing what they always do—acting like they care while protecting their own pockets. President William Ruto is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He’s out here saying people have a right to protest, but then warning that anyone "mobilized to cause chaos" is going to get dealt with. He’s trying to play the tough guy because he knows the youth aren't buying what he’s selling.

Then you got Rigathi Gachagua, Ruto’s former deputy who is now his bitter rival, trying to act like he’s looking out for the youth. He’s telling Gen Z to stay off the streets because it might get violent, and suggesting they stay home for a "symbolic show of dissent." But real talk, everyone knows staying home doesn't put pressure on the people in power.

We also got the opposition leaders—Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa—showing up with the families of the victims to lay wreaths at parliament. It’s a nice gesture, but the families are the ones carrying the real pain. One parent told journalists straight up that they just wanted a peaceful way to remember their kids, saying they don't want tear gas and running battles because they are too old for all that stress.

To try and quiet things down, Ruto announced this massive $15 million (£11 million) fund to compensate nearly 2,000 victims of police brutality from 2017 to 2025. But he had to make sure to say it wasn’t "hush money" or a "reward for violence."

But the human rights groups and the families are keeping it 100—they rejected that cash. They’re calling out the government because the plan excludes a bunch of victims, the payouts are weak, and they didn't even bother to consult the community before drawing up the plan. You can’t put a price tag on a young life taken by state violence and expect people to just forget about justice.

At the end of the day, locking down Nairobi isn't going to fix the deep pain in the community. Until the government starts treating the youth with respect and delivering real justice for the lives lost, these streets are going to keep demanding accountability. No cap.

Sources: * National Police Service of the Republic of Kenya * Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya * Parliament of the Republic of Kenya * Kenya National Commission on Human Rights