The Government Spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, has ruled out June 25 as a public holiday.
Isaac Mwaura confirmed that it will remain a regular working day despite a planned march to commemorate victims of past protests.
Speaking on Monday, June 22, 2026, Mwaura addressed growing calls for demonstrations, as politicians and activists rallied Kenyans to take to the streets for peaceful demonstrations.
“We should have a distinction between peaceful demonstrations and violent actors, ensuring constitutional rights are protected. ,” Mwaura said.
“Effectively wish to clarify that June 25 is not a public holiday and will remain a working day. Citizens are urged to move forward and work that day to build our economy”, he added.
Mwaura drew a firm line between lawful, peaceful protest and violent disruptions, insisting that constitutional rights must not be weaponised for political ends.
The Finance Bill 2024 protests, which marked the hallmark of the yearly successive protests, left a painful mark on the country, claiming more than 60 lives according to the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) and destroying property, losses that have hit ordinary Kenyans the hardest.
According to to the government spokesperson, the Kenya Revenue Authority estimated that the protests cost the country at least Ksh6 billion, with the government noting the actual figure is likely far higher than that conservative projection.
He further called out politicians, warning them to stop using demonstrations as a tool to inflame tensions and score political points at the public’s expense
