Bereaved Gen Z Families March to State House for Face-to-Face With Ruto

Bereaved parents demand President Ruto address accountability failures as Christmas approaches without their loved ones – IMLU report reveals shocking pattern of police shootings from behind

Grieving families whose children and kin died during Kenya’s explosive 2024–2025 anti-government protests will march to State House today( Monday, December 22), demanding answers from President William Ruto over what they characterize as systematic delays in justice and accountability.

The bereaved relatives have officially notified police authorities that their peaceful demonstration will commence at Jeevanjee Gardens at 9:00 am before proceeding to the presidential residence – a solemn procession that comes as families prepare to face yet another Christmas haunted by empty chairs at their dinner tables.

Kelvin Simba, whose brother Mike Brian Kasaine fell victim to the deadly crackdown, highlights devastating findings from the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) that expose a disturbing pattern in the killings.

The forensic evidence reveals that police officers fired three out of every five extrajudicial killings from behind – a chilling detail that demonstrates victims were fleeing and posed no threat when they were gunned down.

547 Days of Silence: Zero Police Officers Held Accountable

As of December 18, 2025, 547 days since Rex Masai’s death became the first documented fatality of the protests,  the families report that authorities have failed to hold a single police officer accountable for the killings.

This staggering timeline of inaction persists despite President Ruto’s proclamation issued on August 8, 2025, which established a comprehensive framework for compensating victims of police violence stretching back to 2017. Yet the families maintain that the government has stonewalled both justice proceedings and compensation disbursement.

The bereaved families reveal they will use Monday’s march to secure a direct audience with President Ruto, contrasting their treatment with the Head of State’s willingness to engage other delegations and channel resources toward various causes while systematically ignoring their pleas.

“We ask that he finally hear the cries of families facing a Christmas without the laughter of their loved ones. We also march in solidarity with the many survivors left paralysed or permanently disabled,” part of the notice read.

“In the spirit of Christmas, we seek a peaceful audience with the President to discuss justice and support for these families.”

Constitutional Rights at the Forefront

The families have strategically invoked Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution, which enshrines citizens’ rights to assemble, demonstrate, and petition public authorities peacefully and unarmed, placing law enforcement on notice that any interference would constitute a constitutional violation.

“Please note that this is a peaceful assembly; participants will carry only flowers and the national flag. We formally request a police escort to ensure the safety of all attendees and to maintain public order during the procession,” the notice read.

The families draw a clear distinction between protest and petition: “This is not a protest but a plea for justice, and we trust that the police will not harass, assault, or arrest grieving parents and siblings seeking to meet the President.”

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