A BBC Africa Eye investigation, Blood Parliament, has reignited debate in Kenya not just about police conduct during last year’s anti-tax protests, but about the deeper, unresolved tensions between the state and a disillusioned generation.
The documentary, which names security officers allegedly behind the fatal shootings of three young protesters during the Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations, has prompted both outrage and introspection. While some lawmakers focused on the documentary’s implications for justice and national healing, others questioned the timing and motives behind its release.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo described the documentary as a painful but necessary reflection. “It has created more anger, yes but that anger comes from unresolved trauma,” she said. “We think we are moving on, but many young people are still carrying those scars.” Odhiambo called for a parliamentary committee to help the country reckon with the emotional and political fallout of the protests.
Meanwhile, Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie dismissed the documentary as part of a foreign narrative, suggesting it may undermine national cohesion.
But beyond the political divide, Blood Parliament has forced the country to confront a deeper truth: that for many young Kenyans, the events of June 2024 were not just about tax they were about being heard. And they are still waiting for answers.
