Mwaura dismisses June 25 holiday, says it will be working day

Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura has clarified that June 25, 2025, will be a working day, not a holiday.

This follows a declaration by the opposition led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka that Kenyans boycott work on June 25, declaring it a symbolic public holiday.

Kalonzo said the declaration of the June 25 holiday is meant only to remember those who were killed during the anti-government protests in 2024, but not to cause chaos.

The Wiper leader said they do not have other intentions but just to light candles and mourn the departed.

However, speaking on Wednesday, the Spokesman clarified that June 25 will remain a working day and will not be observed as a public holiday, thereby dismissing efforts to "recreate" a Gen Z movement.

“We have heard people saying that there is a public holiday on June 25, but there is no public holiday. It is a working day if, at all, it falls on a weekday. We must move forward, whatever people are trying to recreate for the Gen Z movement, we want to tell them that it is a thing of the past,” Mwaura said.

He called on Kenyans to give their views during the public forums held across the country.

The 2024 protests were led by mostly leaderless and digitally organised Gen Z demonstrators demanding systemic reforms, jobs, accountability, and an end to what they called exploitative governance.

Speaking on Sunday during a Church Service in Kilifi, Kalonzo called on religious leaders to join the movement, saying they will need to christen Parliament buildings where blood was spilt.

“We ask the Church to join us on June 25 as we go to Parliament. I have this idea that Kenya should go there and light candles in front of the Parliament building and christen the place because the blood of our children was spilt there,” Kalonzo said.

“We shall light candles on June 25 outside Parliament. Just light candles in an organised manner for the remembrance of the fallen Gen Zs.”

This comes after the Gen Z anti-government protests in 2024 that resulted in at least five reported deaths.

Kalonzo announced that the day would henceforth be marked as “Gen Z Liberation Day” to pay tribute to the youth-led protests against the government's economic policies and tax hikes.

“I want to declare that June 25 will be a public holiday for all Kenyans in honour of our Gen Zs who were killed when they tried to submit a petition to Parliament,” Kalonzo said.

“June 25 will be a liberation day to commemorate the sacrifice of our Gen Zs who sought to liberate this country.”