Junet condemns June 25 protests as plot to overthrow govt

 Junet condemns June 25 protests as plot to overthrow govt

Suna East MP and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed has sparked sharp reactions after asserting that the June 25 demonstrations were not spontaneous Gen Z-led protests, but rather a deliberate scheme to topple the government.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, June 26, Junet introduced a motion denouncing the protests as “lawless, destructive, and politically motivated.” He claimed that what appeared as youth-driven activism was in fact a carefully organized political operation.

“Kenyans are being misled,” he said. “These were not genuine Gen Z protests. Fellow politicians were involved in mobilising people to stage these demonstrations in Nairobi.”

He alleged that certain political players were behind the unrest, citing targeted mobilization in areas like Kiambu, Murang’a, and Thika. He questioned why violence was concentrated in Central Kenya while regions such as Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Kisii remained peaceful.

“There was no damage in Kisii or Kisumu,” Junet observed. “But in Nyeri, Nyandarua, Kikuyu, and Nyamakima, property was destroyed. That points to the identity of the chief instigators.”

Although he acknowledged the constitutional right to peaceful assembly under Article 37, Junet argued that the violent nature of the protests undermined that right. His sentiments echoed growing calls within government ranks to impose tighter control over demonstrations and to hold organizers accountable.

The June 25 protests, which commemorated the deadly 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, left at least 16 dead—mostly due to police action—according to Amnesty Kenya. Demonstrators, largely youth, have been demanding President Ruto’s resignation over economic hardship and governance failures.

Junet’s claims challenge the dominant view of the protests as youth-led and organic, instead framing them as politically manipulated events. His remarks have reopened debate on the influence of political elites in social movements and the authenticity of Gen Z-driven dissent.

As parliamentary debate continues, the nation remains tense, caught between rising calls for justice and questions over who is truly behind Kenya’s growing unrest.