Maraga: Why I joined bereaved families in June 25 memorial protest

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has explained why he joined bereaved families in a peaceful march and flower-laying memorial on June 25, an event meant to honour victims of the 2024 anti-finance bill demonstrations that left over 60 people dead and many more injured.

Speaking during an interview with Spice FM on Wednesday, Maraga said he joined the families to express solidarity and ensure the victims of last year's deadly protests were not forgotten.

“These people had a cause. They lost their loved ones. And I felt sympathetic and said, look, this is a cause I wanted to identify myself with,” he said.

He emphasised that his presence at the memorial was both a gesture of compassion and a call for national reflection.

“I decided to go in solidarity with those families,” he added, questioning why cases of police brutality continued to surge.

“What are they doing to the nation? This should not happen to anybody else. It was them then; it could be you tomorrow,” he said.

The June 25 event began near the National Centre, where families had gathered before starting a short march toward the Dedan Kimathi statue on Kimathi Street to lay flowers in memory of the deceased. 

But according to Maraga, the group was met with unexpected force.

“We did not even move 20 meters before teargas was shot at us,” he recounted. 

“I have heard claims that some people went and blocked the road and set fire to tires. That was not there, I can assure you that. Those people were peaceful.”

Maraga criticised the police response, noting that authorities had earlier promised to facilitate and support the bereaved families during the memorial.

“The police themselves had promised that the families of the deceased persons would be assisted, would be facilitated. In fact, they said even the police would be there with them. So that is the last thing I expected,” he said.

In response to criticism of his attendance, Maraga defended his actions, stating that empathy and moral clarity were needed in the face of injustice.

“To come around and say that I didn’t behave well, that’s their opinion. And in my view, extremely wrong,” he said.

“We are not supposed to be heartless. We are supposed to be concerned. If they are not concerned, some of us are.”

The memorial was held to honour the fallen heroes of the protests that began earlier in June 2024 and reached full momentum on June 25, 2024, in opposition to the year’s Finance Bill. 

By the end of July 2024, independent human rights organisations reported that at least 61 people had been killed and over 300 injured during clashes with police.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and international watchdogs condemned the excessive use of force, particularly the use of live ammunition and teargas against unarmed protesters.

In the wake of the violence, there were calls for police accountability and state compensation for affected families. 

The government acknowledged some casualties and launched investigations, but as of mid-2025, no senior security officials had been held publicly accountable.

The June 25, 2025, memorial event was organised by families of the deceased and civil society organisations to mark one year since the protests. 

The event aimed to honour victims, demand justice, and ensure national remembrance of those who lost their lives.