PLP leader Martha Karua with other opposition leaders preparing to lay wreaths yesterday.
By MKT Correspondent
People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader and 2027 presidential aspirant Martha Karua yesterday joined families of slain Gen Z protesters, opposition leaders and human rights activists in a peaceful procession through Nairobi to commemorate young Kenyans killed during the June 25, 2024 and 2025 protests.
The march, which culminated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Parliament, brought together Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, Siaya Governor James Orengo, former Chief Justice David Maraga and activist Boniface Mwangi, among others.
The leaders, alongside families of victims and supporters, laid flowers at the Parliament fence in memory of young protesters who lost their lives while demonstrating for accountability, good governance and economic justice.
Speaking during the commemoration, Karua described the event as both a solemn act of remembrance and a renewed call for justice for families who lost loved ones during the demonstrations.
“We marched peacefully to honour the memory of the young Kenyans we lost and to stand with their families in their pursuit of justice,” she said.
Karua maintained that the youth who participated in the protests were exercising their constitutional rights and should not be treated as enemies of the state.
“The young people who took to the streets were demanding accountability, dignity and opportunity. They were met with bullets instead of dialogue and intimidation instead of leadership,” she said.
The former Justice Minister argued that many of the grievances that drove young people to the streets remain unresolved, citing unemployment, corruption, high taxation and what she termed a growing disconnect between government leaders and ordinary citizens.
She accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of responding to civic activism with suppression rather than dialogue, warning against attempts to dismiss the Gen Z movement as a passing political moment.
According to Karua, June 25 has become a defining chapter in Kenya’s democratic history and a reminder of the consequences of failed leadership.
She urged young people to continue participating in civic and democratic processes, drawing parallels between the Gen Z movement and the struggle for multiparty democracy in the 1990s.
“I know this because I walked with the young Turks who fought for democratic freedoms. Today’s youth are no different—courageous, determined and ready to lead,” she said.
Karua also used the occasion to outline her vision for Kenya, promising that if elected president in 2027, she would prioritize youth empowerment, institutional reforms, accountability and equal opportunities for all citizens.
She concluded by calling for unity, courage and sustained civic engagement, saying the best tribute to those who lost their lives would be building a just, inclusive and accountable nation.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER October 1, 2026
- Museveni backs Lamu but keeps Uganda’s money at home
- Sifuna’s party wins its name — and Kenya’s opposition race begins in earnest
- Lamu’s $16B gamble: Africa’s biggest refinery divides the region
- Ruto launches KSh2.2 trillion Lamu refinery in East Africa’s biggest energy bet
About the Author
