Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has dismissed claims that June 25 will be declared a public holiday, stating that the day will proceed as a normal working day.
In a statement on Monday, June 22, Mwaura said there had been no declaration of a public holiday and urged Kenyans to report to work as usual on the day.
"June 25 will be a normal working day. There is no holiday declaration and all Kenyans have been asked to report to their working places," he said.
Mwaura also assured business owners and investors that adequate security measures had been put in place to safeguard businesses and maintain order across the country.
He warned politicians against exploiting the Gen Z commemoration events to incite unrest or disrupt normal activities.
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"The government has put in enough mechanisms to protect businesses across the country. Politicians planning to take advantage of the Gen Z commemoration to cause chaos have been put on notice," he added.
This comes days after President William Ruto warned against attempts to disrupt normal activities across the country ahead of the June 25th anti-government protests anniversary.
Speaking on Friday, June 19, he said the government will safeguard both the right to protest and the rights of other Kenyans to continue with their daily lives.
"I hear some people saying they want to shut down the country; we will defend the right of everybody because we are a country that believes viciously in order," he said.
Ruto emphasized that the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to express their grievances through lawful means, including protests and petitions.
At the same time, he noted that the government has a responsibility to ensure that demonstrations do not disrupt essential activities such as education and business operations.
"We are a civilized nation. We are an organized society. We believe in the rule of law. We protect everybody's right. It is right for every citizen who has an issue to petition or to protest, and we must protect their right to do so.
"We must also protect the right of our children to go to school and learn, and our farmers to go to the farms and produce food so that we don't sleep hungry. And the business people, we must protect them to go to work, to do business so that we can raise our productivity," he added.
The families of slain Gen Z protesters are expected to hold a peaceful march to mark the second anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
In a letter dated Thursday, June 18, and addressed to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, the parents of slain protester Rex Masai notified police of the event.
The families announced plans for a peaceful procession to Parliament and similar commemorative activities across the country.
"We would like to notify you that on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10:00 am, we have invited all Kenyans to proceed on a peaceful march as mothers, fathers, siblings, relatives, friends, to the Kenyan Parliament to demand justice, and lay flowers where our children were murdered.
"There will be similar vigil, and commemorations in all the 47 counties of Kenya," the letter read in part.
