IN SHORT: Young people in Kenya are set to hold a countrywide demonstration on 25 June 2025 to commemorate one year since the anti-finance bill protests. The protests took place.
Young people in Kenya, commonly referred to as generation Z or Gen Z, have reportedly postponed planned countrywide demonstrations set for 25 June 2025. This is according to what appears to be the front page of Kenya’s Standard newspaper.
The front page, dated 20 June, features the headline: “We Surrender.”
According to text below the headline, the postponement signals reflection and maturity among the youth movement.
It reads: “Faced with growing concern over safety, disruption, and the potential for exploitation by political forces, organizers appear to have come to their senses—choosing dialogue and strategy over chaos. The decision has been welcomed by many as a step toward responsible civic engagement.”
The demonstrations are planned to commemorate the June 2024 protests, sparked by that year’s unpopular Finance Bill, which included controversial tax hike proposals. President William Ruto bowed to pressure and withdrew the bill, but the demonstrators shifted their demands to better governance and his resignation.
During that period, Kenyan police and state agents were accused of killing and abducting dozens of young protesters and government critics.
On 25 June, the protestors breached parliamentary security and entered parliament, making the date particularly significant.
But is the front page claiming the plans have been postponed legit? We checked.
Fake front page
Both local and international media have closely monitored and reported on demonstrations in Kenya. However, Africa Check found no instances of reputable media outlets reporting that the 2025 demonstrations have been postponed.
In fact, the protests took place and have been widely covered.
The Standard newspaper usually posts digital versions of its front pages on its verified social media accounts, including Facebook and X, as well as on its e-paper platform. We searched the accounts and the platform and found the original issue for 20 June.
The original headline reads: “Lagat cornered.” It discusses Eliud Lagat, the head of the Kenya Police Service, and his alleged role in the arrest and killing of social media influencer Albert Ojwang while in police custody in June 2025.
The circulating front page is almost identical to the original but replaces the headline with: “We Surrender.”
The version doing the rounds on social media has been altered.
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