Kalonzo: June 25 is for candles and mourning, not chaos

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

The opposition led by Kalonzo had on June 7 called on Kenyans to boycott work on June 25, declaring it a symbolic public holiday.

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

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.”

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.

Although opposition leaders lack the legal authority to declare a national public holiday—a mandate that lies with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen—their call could significantly disrupt normalcy in several towns.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah had in an undated video claimed that opposition leaders are planning to weaponise the proposed June 25 ‘public holiday’ to incite the youth against the government.

The Kikuyu MP warned the opposition that President William Ruto’s administration will not allow them to capitalise on young people to divide the country along generational lines.

“For those who imagine that the unfortunate events of last June are something they can use to incite Kenyans—please look for another agenda,” he said on June 7, 2025.

Ichung’wah also emphasised that only the government has the legal authority to declare a public holiday.

“There is nobody with the authority to declare a public holiday in Kenya except the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration,” he stated.