‘Liberation Day’: Kalonzo calls for June 25th to be recognised as public holiday

Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has renewed calls for June 25 to be formally recognised as a national public holiday, dubbed ‘Liberation Day,’ in honour of the young Kenyans who led the anti-Finance Bill protests of 2024.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, a day before the second anniversary of the demonstrations, Kalonzo said the day should serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made by Kenyan youth in defence of freedom, justice and constitutional rights.

“I also reaffirm a position I have consistently championed: that June 25th be formally recognised as a national public holiday: Liberation Day,” Kalonzo said.

“This day should serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made by brave Kenyans in defence of freedom, a National Day of Remembrance, reflection, and accountability, and an occasion to honour those who gave their lives for the future of our Republic.”

The former Vice President praised Gen Z and millennial protesters for what he described as a historic movement that forced Parliament to withdraw the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

According to Kalonzo, the youth succeeded where the opposition had previously struggled, after taking to the streets to oppose measures they believed would worsen the cost-of-living crisis.

“Our Gen Zs and Millennials did better than the Opposition: they forced Parliament to retreat,” he said.

He argued that the young protesters understood the implications of the Finance Bill 2024 and viewed it as “an extraction mechanism” targeting Kenyans already burdened by economic hardship.

Kalonzo also accused the government of responding to the demonstrations with excessive force, citing deaths, enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests.

He thus called on the government, Parliament and security agencies to account for all lives lost during the protests and reveal the whereabouts of individuals who remain missing.

“The regime’s response to those young people peaceably exercising their constitutional rights was calculated, shameful, and contemptible, and I say so without qualification,” he stated.

 “The names of our fallen, abducted, kidnapped, and wrongly charged must not become mere footnotes in our history, but the very foundation upon which a better Kenya is built.”

The Azimio la Umoja co-principal and party leader urged police and other security agencies to exercise restraint during commemorative demonstrations planned around the anniversary.

“Demonstrators must be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights, without interference from hired goons or live rounds,” he said.

At the same time, Kalonzo criticised Parliament for passing Finance Bill 2026during the anniversary period, saying the move sent the wrong message to Kenyans who had protested against previous tax measures.

While faulting the 186 legislators who were absent during the vote, saying their actions amounted to an abdication of responsibility, Kalonzo praised 40 MPs who opposed the legislation at the time in 2024.

Some of the 40 MPs included members of Wiper, Azimio and lawmakers allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).

“I want to salute the 40 MPs who chose to stand with the people of Kenya,” he said. “In perhaps one of the most cowardly acts ever witnessed in the August House, 186 members stayed away from Parliament's precincts.”

Kalonzo also endorsed a six-point agenda proposed by Kenyan youth to advance reforms, accountability and democratic governance.

On justice for victims of the 2024 protests, he cited the case of the late 29-year-old Rex Masai, arguing that failures in investigations risk denying families justice.

“The result is a profound injustice: the officer charged in the case may ultimately walk free, not because he has been found innocent, but because the evidence required to secure justice was never gathered,” he said.

According to the Wiper boss, accountability should extend beyond those directly involved in alleged abuses to include individuals who ordered, facilitated or concealed them.

Consequently, Kalonzo called for reparations and a public apology to victims and their families, arguing that many young people continue to live in fear two years after the demonstrations.

“As we mark this second anniversary, let us renew our commitment to truth, justice, accountability, and democratic governance,” Kalonzo said.

“The sacrifices of our children will never be forgotten, for their courage awakened a nation and reminded us that the sovereign power of this Republic rests with its people.”