Garissa remains calm as country marks first anniversary of Gen Z protests

Residents of Garissa town going about their businesses on Thursday./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Garissa town remained calm and peaceful on Thursday as the country marked the first anniversary of the June 25, 2024 Gen Z protests, with businesses operating normally and residents going about their daily activities.

Unlike in some parts of the country where demonstrations were held to commemorate the historic youth-led protests, there were no reports of demonstrations in Garissa.

Traders opened their businesses as usual, public transport operated normally, and security presence remained largely routine, apart from regular patrols and roadblocks at the River Tana Bridge.

However, interviews conducted with residents revealed mixed reactions regarding the demonstrations taking place elsewhere in the country.

While some residents criticized the protests and viewed them as politically driven, others defended the right of Kenyans to demonstrate peacefully and called on the government to address the concerns that sparked the protests.

Abdullahi Oloo, a resident of Garissa, questioned the relevance of the ongoing demonstrations, arguing that they had lost their original purpose.

“I think this demonstration has no relevance at all. As a Kenyan who loves peace, I don’t see the reason for this maandamano. We cannot be talking about Gen Zs throughout. In fact, they have lost focus and have now become a political tool for the political elite,” Oloo said.

He further described the protests as politically motivated and urged residents to focus on development and stability.

“This is a political protest against the state which we cannot allow. In Garissa, we don’t entertain this kind of thing because we are part of this government and we don’t want the government to focus all its attention on the Gen Zs,” he added.

For Benjamin Musembi, a boda boda rider, the demonstrations reflected genuine concerns affecting ordinary Kenyans, even though he chose not to participate in them.

“Here in Garissa we are not participating in demonstrations because we are working towards finding our daily bread. As youths, we have families to support and we do not want to find ourselves in situations that may make our lives harder,” Musembi said.

He nonetheless called on the government to address the rising cost of living, particularly fuel prices.

“This does not mean that we are opposed to the demonstrations. The cost of living has gone high and fuel prices have skyrocketed, making life unbearable for the common citizen. The government should look into the issues increasing the cost of living to make life easier for Kenyans,” he added.

Another resident, Yassin Ibrahim, emphasized the need to safeguard peace and economic stability, warning that demonstrations can sometimes negatively affect businesses and livelihoods.

“As the people of Garissa, we cannot participate in demonstrations although it is allowed under our Constitution. Demonstrations nowadays have different agendas and currently we do not see any reason that requires us to go into the streets,” Ibrahim said.

“Our country is bigger than all of us. When demonstrations occur, mama mbogas, business people and ordinary residents are affected, especially when there is destruction of property,” he added.

On the other hand, Abdi Mohamed voiced support for peaceful demonstrations, noting that those taking part were exercising their democratic rights.

“Peaceful demonstrations are a constitutional right and those participating are well within their democratic freedoms. Citizens have a right to express their views and demand accountability from their leaders,” Mohamed said.

He also expressed concern over the loss of lives during the 2024 protests, arguing that many deaths could have been avoided had excessive force not been used.

“Many of the lives lost during the June 2024 demonstrations would not have been lost if excessive force had not been used. Families who lost their loved ones deserve justice and compensation,” he said.

Ahmed Sheikh echoed calls for the government to listen to the concerns being raised by Kenyans, saying frustrations over the high cost of living and police brutality continued to fuel public anger.

“The government should listen to the cries of Kenyans. What has pained many people is the excessive force that has, on many occasions, resulted in the loss of lives,” Sheikh said.

“The cost of living remains a major concern. The government should start by lowering fuel prices because that is one of the issues making many Kenyans angry,” he added.

Residents of Garissa town going about their businesses on Thursday./STEPHEN ASTARIKO