Families of Kenyan protesters killed in 2024’s mass protests on Friday urged the police and politicians to allow a peaceful march in memory of the dead.

The East African nation has seen violent clashes between protesters, the police and armed thugs known as “goons” in the run-up to the one-year anniversary of the youth-led demonstrations.

Those rallies peaked on June 25 when protesters, angry over proposed tax rises and corruption, stormed parliament and were met with live fire from security forces.

Rights groups say at least 60 people were killed across the weeks of protests in June and July, with scores more illegally detained in the aftermath, many of them still missing.

Protest groups and the families of those killed have vowed to march in their memory in the capital Nairobi next week, but many fear the memorial will be met with state-sponsored violence.

“Do not send your goons. Do not hijack this moment,” said Njanja Maina, a lawyer representing the families of those who died.

“This day belongs to the families who have buried their children,” she added, while welcoming all Kenyans who wished to join peacefully.

Police brutality is a long-running issue in Kenya, which has come to the fore again after the recent death of a teacher in custody.

In the past weeks rallies denouncing heavy-handed policing have been small, yet quickly descended into violence after “goons” paid to target protesters were unleashed on the demonstrations.

“Any attempt to criminalise our mourning or to respond to our peaceful gathering with violence will only deepen the national wound,” Maina said.

“Kenya is watching,” she added.

Mary Muthoni, the mother of one of the young men killed outside parliament, said President William Ruto was indifferent to their plight.

“We are sad, we have lost children, but the president does not care about us,” Muthoni said.

“Now sadness has entered the house, there is no peace. The child was our hope.”