Protester who vanished after June 25, 2024 Parliament breach recounts life in hiding

For 21 months, Ezekiel Kyama lived in hiding after becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the June 25, 2024 Gen Z anti-Finance Bill protests that saw demonstrators breach Parliament buildings in an unprecedented show of public anger.

Kyama, who was captured on video inside Parliament alongside fellow protesters during the height of the demonstrations, says the ordeal inside the heavily guarded building lasted about three minutes. These moments, he says, would later change the course of his life.

Speaking to Citizen TV after resurfacing publicly for the first time, Kyama revealed that he disappeared the day after the protests amid fears for his safety following reports of abductions and killings targeting some of those who participated in the demonstrations.

“I went there to champion for our rights. We were not terrorists,” Kyama says.

“The Finance Bill was punitive and it was hurting Kenyans. Unemployment and the high cost of living are what took us to the streets.”

At the peak of the chaos, Kyama claims he and other protesters helped MP Jackson Kosgei to safety after the legislator – who is confined to a wheelchair - had allegedly been left behind during the commotion.

“It is us who helped a differently abled MP to safety after he had been left behind by other MPs,” he said.

What followed, however, was nearly two years of fear and uncertainty.

For 21 months, Kyama says he constantly looked over his shoulder, worried that he could be targeted because of his involvement in the protests and the viral footage showing him inside Parliament.

“Life in hiding is difficult. I would not wish that on anyone,” he says. “That’s why I decided to come out, even if I still have concerns for my own safety.”

Kyama says the events that unfolded after the demonstrations deeply traumatized many young protesters, especially after reports emerged of some protesters being shot and others allegedly abducted.

“I feared for my life after seeing what happened after the protests,” he said.

“Some of my friends were shot outside Parliament because they were fighting for their rights and those of other Kenyans,” he added.

Despite the fear and uncertainty, Kyama insists he has no regrets about participating in the demonstrations and maintains that the issues that drove thousands of young Kenyans to the streets remain unresolved.

“The Finance Bill is still as punitive as the previous one and that’s why we should continue fighting for this country,” he said.

Even after months in hiding, Kyama says he would still join future demonstrations opposing punitive taxation policies.

“If there is another anti-Finance Bill protest, I will still show up,” he stated.

He also urged Kenyans to actively engage with the country’s legislative process by reading and understanding proposed laws before they are passed.