The national holiday was established 61 years ago to honor the heroes from the national liberation struggle and those who have contributed to the development of the country.
On October 20, 2024, Kenya marked the 61 commemoration of Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes Day, which was established to honor the heroes of the nation's struggle for independence and those who continue to contribute to post-independence development.
While President William Ruto presided over the official celebration in Kwale, a different narrative played out in other parts of the nation's capital Nairobi. Activists and a section of young Kenyans used the day to remember those who lost their lives during the nationwide protests that began on June 18, 2024. These protests, sparked by widespread discontent over the Finance Bill 2024, resulted in the deaths of many young Kenyans, whose memories activists now honor as the "real shujaas" of the ongoing struggle in Kenya.
Read: Amid economic hardship and repression, Kenyans reject the Finance Bill 2024
However, efforts to hold a parallel event at Uhuru Park were thwarted by anti-riot police, who were on standby to block access to the venue, and arrested some of the activists who turned up. Despite this, they still persisted in their tribute online, with posters circulating on social media listing the names of 60 identified victims of police violence, as well as many others who remain unidentified.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) took to X to offer their own commemoration of the victims. "On this Mashujaa Day, KHRC remembers and honors the Kenyan youth whose lives were taken by police under this regime's orders. We are not yet free. Dictatorship has returned, and our constitutional duty is to resist with all our strength. Together, we will liberate our nation from the yoke of oppression," read the statement.
In the outskirts of Nairobi, members of the Kayole community marked the day by using art to memorialize the fallen comrades. In a statement, the Kayole Community Justice Center said: "This Mashujaa season, Kayole Community Justice Center, together with young mothers, is using art and murals to decolonize minds and inspire liberation. Our latest mural, still in progress, celebrates the 61 fallen martyrs from recent anti-government protests--heroes who paid the ultimate price in the fight for justice."
The protests that began on June 18, 2024, were triggered by opposition to the Finance Bill 2024, which proposed a range of tax increases aimed at raising over USD 2.7 billion to fund Kenya's Ksh 4.2 trillion (USD 30.6 billion) 2024-25 budget. The bill faced widespread backlash for imposing what many saw as draconian tax burdens on an already struggling people. Demonstrations spread nationwide, culminating in heightened unrest after parliament was invaded on July 25, 2024 by the protesters.
The young people's demands for major changes in government have largely gone unheeded, even as the protests claimed many lives. As the public outcry mounted, President Ruto responded by firing his entire cabinet, including the Attorney General, and announced plans to form a new cabinet with opposition leaders, a move that many viewed as an attempt at political reconciliation. Part of this arrangement seems to include Kenya's support for Raila Odinga's candidacy for the African Union Chairmanship. However, this reshuffle has done little to address the concerns of the youth and many Kenyans, whose primary demands are an end to bad economic policies and police brutality that remain unresolved.
For many young Kenyans, the deaths of their peers during the protests were not in vain. On this Mashujaa Day, their focus was on remembering those who stood beside them in the fight for social justice, refusing to let their sacrifices go unrecognized. "Their deaths were not in vain," echoed several voices online, insisting that the struggle for a better Kenya continues, and that those who perished are the true heroes of the present.
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka also wrote on X, "My heroes and heroines today are Kenyan Gen Zs and Millennials. Your bravery in the face of police brutality because you dared to exercise your constitutionally guaranteed rights will be remembered as one of the most significant milestones and watershed moments in our 61-year history. Your call to duty, holding our Kenyan flag and peacefully marching through our streets to hold Executive and Legislative authorities accountable, has left an indelible impression on our minds and hearts. Because of your extraordinary and selfless actions, particularly your refusal to be silenced, Kenya will never be the same again. You have inspired all of us to hope for a better present and future.
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Members of the media are our other heroes, whom we must honor today. You've been tear gassed, shot at, and clobbered with police batons. Yet you have stood up, reporting in real time without fear, the atrocities committed by this brutal regime in real time, fearlessly."
As Kenya continues to grapple with these challenges, Mashujaa Day 2024 for Kenyans will be remembered not only for its celebration of the past struggles that waged the same fight but also for the ongoing struggle for a better future for all Kenyans.
Nicholas Mwangi is a member of the Ukombozi Library in Kenya.
