https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/Protests against tax increases in Kenya's Finance Bill 2024 began in June 2024 and peaked on 25 June, when protesters breached Parliament after MPs passed the bill and, Reuters reported, police opened fire. President William Ruto declined to sign the bill, MPs deleted all its clauses, and he dismissed his Cabinet. Death counts differ by source, and as of October 2026 few cases had reached court while a state compensation programme was paying victims.enhttps://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e33kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-c87e8efad9Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000The panel said 1,083 victims had received Ksh1.014 billion across all phases, including 139 economic-loss claims and 100 approved claims from uniformed officers. Its term was extended by 90 days from 4 September 2026, and in October it set 14 November 2026 as the deadline for claims.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e32kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-d07260850eTue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000Prosecutors closed their case in the inquest before magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo into the man shot dead in Nairobi's central business district on 20 June 2024, after 30 witnesses testified, Capital FM reported. The parties are to file written submissions before the magistrate rules.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e31kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-8504cec7f0Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000On the second anniversary, police barricaded roads into central Nairobi and put up barbed wire near Parliament, and many businesses stayed closed. Capital FM reported that families of those killed and opposition leaders laid wreaths on the barbed wire, and families told The Standard that compensation did not replace accountability. No casualty figures were reported in the coverage reviewed.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e30kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-1d6514ba7dTue, 23 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Mutua panel said Sh448.7 million had been paid to 348 verified beneficiaries in the first phase, covering violations from 2013 to 2025, including Sh3 million for each of 115 deaths. The government has set aside Ksh2 billion, Citizen Digital reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e29kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-a802896b47Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000IPOA vice chair Ann Mwangi said the authority had registered 62 deaths from the 2024 protests, 27 from the June 2025 memorial protests and 38 from Saba Saba 2025. Of the 2024 cases, three were before court, three were with prosecutors, 46 were still under investigation, one was under internal legal review and nine had been closed.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e28kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-a639516523Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000A gazette notice signed by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei gave the Mutua panel an advisory role for six months, according to Citizen Digital, to advise the President on reparations based on a KNCHR report. The panel said it would appeal the High Court judgment while complying with it.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e27kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-0325a4748eMon, 01 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000The High Court held that the President had no constitutional authority to set up a body on victims' compensation and that the role belongs to the KNCHR, Citizen Digital and The Standard reported. Reports published on 4 and 5 December described the ruling. A later Citizen Digital report dated it 9 December.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e26kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-bc8d807233Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000Justice Dennis Magare of the High Court in Kerugoya issued conservatory orders suspending the proclamation and the gazette notice appointing the panel, on a petition challenging the plan. The panel applied to have the orders lifted.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e25kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-fa5fc3eafcMon, 25 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000A gazette notice appointed a panel of experts chaired by Makau Mutua to oversee payouts, with a 120-day mandate. Its members were sworn in on 4 September.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e24kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-e3472301d2Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000President Ruto issued a proclamation establishing a framework to compensate victims of protests and riots, covering civilians and security officers who were harmed or killed. The Standard dates the proclamation 6 August and The Star 8 August.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e23kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-a61f1d147dTue, 15 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said 42 people died in the June 25 and Saba Saba protests, 17 and 25 respectively according to police data, that close to 600 were injured including 496 officers, and that nearly 1,500 had been arrested. The KNCHR had counted 19 deaths on 25 June and 31 on Saba Saba, and Citizen Digital reported a later KNCHR count of 38 for Saba Saba. Murkomen said he did not dispute higher KNCHR figures.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e22kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-771fc89a92Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000Speaking at a police housing project in Kilimani, Nairobi, President Ruto said police should not kill people who burn property but should shoot them in the leg before they are taken to court, according to Citizen Digital and The Star. He also accused unnamed leaders of financing the violence.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e21kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-8ef9f0f03cMon, 07 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000The KNCHR said the 7 July Saba Saba demonstrations left 31 people dead and 107 injured, with 532 arrests and two enforced disappearances, and called for accountability from police and civilians.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e20kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-e84668c7adWed, 25 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000Protests marking the anniversary took place in at least 23 counties, the KNCHR said. On the day it reported 8 deaths and over 400 casualties and condemned a Communications Authority directive halting live broadcasts. Two days later it raised its count to 19 deaths and 531 injured.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e19kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-776c5aff37Sun, 01 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000Justice Bahati Mwamuye of the High Court dismissed a petition by the family of a man who died during the 25 June 2024 protests, backed by the Law Society of Kenya, seeking to compel the state to prosecute police officers. He said police had sent their findings to prosecutors, who recommended a public inquest.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e18kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-a3b572c2e6Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said it had received 16 inquiry files from IPOA since June 2024, that three death cases were at the public inquest stage and that no case had proceeded to formal prosecution, Citizen Digital reported. A BBC report the same week said no officers had been charged.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e16kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-7c45f33ef9Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000A BBC Africa Eye documentary, Blood Parliament, said analysis of more than 5,000 images identified a police officer and a soldier who opened fire and killed three unarmed protesters at Parliament on 25 June 2024. Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura called the film one-sided. The Kenya Defence Forces said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had not asked to examine its personnel.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e17kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-9c02a9ec07Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000IPOA said it had registered 60 death cases from the 2024 protests, completed 22 investigations and taken two cases to court, and cited non-cooperation from police officers and witnesses.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e15kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-1152879ccaThu, 26 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000The KNCHR said it had recorded 82 cases of abduction or enforced disappearance since June 2024, that 29 of those people were still missing, and that 13 new cases had been reported in the previous three months.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e14kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-b3dc410eecThu, 26 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki told a National Assembly committee that 42 people died in the protests between June and August, against a figure of 61 cited by rights groups including Amnesty International. He said 1,208 people had been arrested and that there was no proof police were responsible for 132 people still missing.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e13kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-4f812be832Thu, 25 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Sitting as a Committee of the Whole House, MPs agreed with the President's reservations and voted to delete all clauses of the Finance Bill 2024, rejecting it in its entirety. Speaker Wetang'ula said there was no bill left to present for assent.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e12kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-642f18719aTue, 16 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000The KNCHR said that since 18 June, 50 people had died, 413 had been injured, 59 had been reported abducted or missing and 682 had been arbitrarily arrested in connection with the protests. It said it had gone to court seeking habeas corpus orders for missing people.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e11kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-64687466b4Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000State House said President Ruto had accepted the resignation of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who Citizen Digital reported had faced criticism over arrests and abductions by police during the protests. Deputy Inspector General Douglas Kanja was named acting Inspector General.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e10kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-2efd3b39cbThu, 11 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000President Ruto dismissed all Cabinet Secretaries and Attorney General Justin Muturi, retaining only Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. The Office of the Deputy President was not affected.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e9kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-f9a7cf14f2Sun, 30 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000At a media roundtable at State House, President Ruto said his records showed 19 people had died and questioned the figure of 24 given by human rights organisations, saying investigations would establish the truth.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e8kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-801c296da0Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000Ruling on a petition by the Law Society of Kenya against the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces after the 25 June events, Justice Lawrence Mugambi declined to order troops back to barracks but directed that the terms and duration of the deployment be gazetted within two days.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e7kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-5d5a5165e6Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000In a televised address from State House, President Ruto said he would not sign the Finance Bill 2024 and that it would be withdrawn. He proposed talks with young people and a multi-stakeholder engagement within 14 days, and spoke of austerity measures.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e5kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-5d58e6ddebTue, 25 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000The National Assembly passed the Finance Bill 2024 at third reading by 195 votes to 106, with three spoilt votes, as announced by Speaker Moses Wetang'ula. The bill then awaited presidential assent.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e6kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-12a0ab41f6Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000Shortly after the vote, protesters broke into the parliamentary compound and parts of the building caught fire. Reuters reported that police opened fire, that a Reuters journalist counted at least five bodies outside Parliament, and that a paramedic said more than 50 people were wounded by gunfire.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests/#e4kenya-finance-bill-2024-protests-862cda4817Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000MPs voted 204 to 115 to pass the bill at second reading, The Star reported. The KNCHR said protests took place in 19 counties, more than 105 people were arrested and about 200 were injured in Nairobi and Kisumu. A man was shot dead on Moi Avenue in Nairobi that evening, and witnesses told The Star a plainclothes officer fired. Police said they were investigating.