Parliament was thrown into disarray on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, after lawmakers hastily vacated the chambers over renewed fears of a second Gen Z protest breach.
The National Assembly prematurely adjourned its morning sitting as security forces reinforced the precinct with razor wire, barbed barriers, and armed officers amid rumours of a planned youth-led invasion — exactly one year since the first Gen Z protests erupted.
The business of the House was disrupted just minutes after it had begun — the absence of movers and sponsors for six major motions forced Speaker David Ochieng to suspend the session.
“The time being fifteen minutes to midday, this House stands adjourned until today 2.30 pm,” the Speaker declared, officially cutting the session short by over an hour.
The chaos drew in several arms of government. Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen personally toured Parliament earlier in the morning, overseeing the setup of heightened security measures — including razor-sharp barbed wire and GSU deployments.
Key lawmakers affected included MPs Timothy Toroitich, Sabina Chege, Abdi Shurie, Jack Wamboka (chair of the Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education), and Vincent Musyoka (chair of the Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee), all of whom had scheduled business postponed due to the disorder.
Outside Parliament, opposition figures such as Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa were vocal in commemorating the lives lost during the previous year’s protests and condemning the government’s current response.
The incident unfolded on the morning of 25 June 2025 — exactly one year after Gen Z protesters stormed Parliament in a now-infamous anti-Finance Bill demonstration that left more than 60 Kenyans dead and the political class shaken.
All this took place within and around the National Assembly buildings in Nairobi, especially at the main Parliament gates and Bunge Towers. MPs were seen making hurried exits through the Sh150 million, five-metre-wide underground tunnel beneath Harambee Avenue, previously used during the 2024 breach. Helicopters hovered above as armed security officers sealed off every road leading to Parliament.
Security fears were heightened due to the symbolic anniversary of last year’s mass youth-led protests, which had resulted in a breach of Parliament and dozens of civilian deaths.
Opposition leaders, civil society, and citizens across the country commemorated the day with tributes, vigils, and renewed criticism of the government’s failure to address youth grievances.
Kalonzo Musyoka led opposition condemnations of the state’s use of excessive force and its continued disregard for democratic freedoms. Speaking outside the Holy Family Basilica, Kalonzo declared:
“You cannot let gangs run the streets while police collaborate with them. We will not allow this country to descend into such lawlessness.”
He further criticised reported cases of extrajudicial abductions: “It is also wicked to abduct citizens without warrants. We must say no to this and seek legal redress where necessary.”
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