Nairobi, Kenya – June 25, 2024 is a date many families in Kenya now mark in silence. What began as youth-led protests against the Finance Bill escalated into nationwide demonstrations, with protesters entering Parliament grounds during the unrest. In the violence that followed, people were killed and others went missing, according to rights groups and official tallies. Two years later, some families say they are still searching for answers.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 said 26 people linked to the 2024 anti-finance bill protests and 15 linked to 2025 demonstrations remain missing.

On Tuesday, families of those killed, alongside civil society groups and members of the public, held a memorial march in Nairobi to mark the anniversary and call for accountability and police reform.

The cost of dissent

“I don’t like seeing Denzel’s pictures and videos. They are a painful reminder of my son. When an anniversary like this comes, I find myself crying. That is why I stay away from public conversations about these things,” said James Otieno, who told Al Jazeera he is the father of Denzel Omondi.

Denzel Omondi, 23, went missing days after he took part in the #OccupyParliament protests. His family said he was arrested by police at a house in Nairobi where he was staying with relatives, shortly after posting a video showing protesters inside Parliament.

Otieno said no one has been held accountable for his son’s death and that the family is still waiting for progress in investigations.

Denzel was among 62 people killed during the 2024 anti-finance bill protests, according to official and rights group tallies cited in investigations into the unrest.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said only three of the 62 deaths have reached court.

In a June 22 statement, IPOA said three cases are before court, three have been referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review, one is under internal legal review, four have been closed after internal investigations, five were closed following ODPP directions, and 46 remain under investigation.

Speaking to The Star, IPOA Vice Chairperson Anne Wanjiku Mwangi said investigations involve multiple agencies and depend on evidence thresholds and prosecutorial review.

“The progress of a case to court depends on the sufficiency of evidence and the outcome of prosecutorial review by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions [ODPP],” she said.

She added that some cases may be closed if they do not meet legal thresholds, while others may require further investigative work.

Missing without a trace

For Susan Wangari Wanjohi, the search for her son Emmanuel Kamau Mukuria has continued for two years, she told Al Jazeera.

Mukuria disappeared on June 25, 2024 after being arrested at Imenti House in Nairobi’s central business district. He was 24 years old.

According to Wanjohi, her son had left home looking for casual work as a tout. Friends later told her they saw him being arrested by police.

“There is no prison I have not visited in this country while looking for my child,” she said. “I know he is alive somewhere and I just want the government to give him back to me in whichever condition he may be in.”

She said she believes it is not possible for someone to disappear after arrest.

“I have suffered so much. But I know one day they will release him from wherever they are holding him and he will come back home,” she said.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 said at least 41 people linked to Kenya’s protests are still missing, including 26 from 2024 and 15 from 2025.

Concerns over enforced disappearances have increased following reported abductions of individuals in Nairobi’s Mathare area.

Authorities have also issued warnings against anniversary marches, saying they could lead to violence, according to public statements cited in local media.

The price of a lost life

The government has begun a compensation programme for victims of human rights violations linked to protests and demonstrations between 2013 and 2025.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations Chair Makau Mutua said participation is voluntary and limited to those who consent.

The programme covers 348 verified victims, with a total allocation of $3.46m in the first phase.

Families of 115 people killed will receive $23,148 each, totalling $2.66m.

Twenty-four victims classified as severely injured will receive $7,730 each, while 137 with moderate injuries will receive $3,865 each.

Another $23,148 has been allocated to 60 victims with minor injuries, $61,728 to eight victims of sexual offences, and $1,545 to four victims classified under economic loss.

Families affected have criticised the programme, saying financial compensation does not address accountability.

Police accountability under scrutiny

Human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Missing Voices Coalition, have documented allegations of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during protests in Kenya.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said it reported at least 63 deaths, 610 injuries, and 74 enforced disappearances during the 2024 protest period, including 26 people still missing.

Amnesty International said at least 60 people were killed during the protests, citing the use of live ammunition and other crowd-control methods.

The Missing Voices Coalition said it recorded 104 police killings in 2024 and 125 in 2025, based on documented cases attributed to police action. It also recorded enforced disappearances during the same period.

Rights groups said some deaths and disappearances occurred during protest periods in 2024 and 2025, and that the total figures may be higher due to underreporting and unresolved cases.

A 2020 World Internal Security and Police Index ranked Kenya’s police 125th out of 127 countries, placing it among the lowest globally in overall institutional performance.

“Even if you gave me 20 million, it won’t be enough compensation for the life of my son. What we want is accountability. Those responsible should be brought before a court. That is the only justice we wanted,” said James Otieno.

“Does participating in public demonstrations or expressing yourself warrant death? I don’t think so.”