Kenyans turned Tuesday’s June 25 protests into a powerful mix of humour and defiance, with Gen Z leading dramatic and sometimes absurd scenes both online and on the streets to mock state authority.
In Nairobi, youth dragged the well-known lion, buffalo and elephant sculptures from Uhuru Park and placed them on Kenyatta Avenue in a triangular standoff. The unusual display went viral and was seen as a symbol of wild resistance staring directly at power.
Along the Thika Superhighway near Allsops, demonstrators outnumbered police and paramilitary officers. In one scene, protestors were seen hanging on the back of an administration police lorry that had been deployed to contain them but appeared to be taken over and redirected by the protestors themselves.

In Kakamega, a young man wrapped in a blanket lay sleeping in the middle of the Kakamega-Kisumu Highway near the county headquarters. Surrounded by chants and tension, the quiet act drew laughter and admiration.
Although the protests began in response to the now-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024, they have grown into a broader movement questioning corruption, police abuse, forced disappearances and state control.
In Kericho, youth pulled apart a large yellow wheelbarrow, once a symbol of the United Democratic Alliance, and paraded the broken parts through the town while chanting against the government. The act served as a direct rejection of political imagery tied to power.

Online, protestors took creativity to another level. On TikTok and Facebook, young Kenyans began posting their own mock eulogies before joining the demonstrations. These featured floral frames, solemn photos and farewell messages that dared the state to act.

One of the most shared tributes came from DJ Eduhmaks, a creative and engineer, who wrote:
“In case they shoot me tomorrow, read this loud to my mom and dad and tell them I did my best,” he said. “He was not just a mechanical engineer by training, a DJ by passion, or a skilled creative. He was a fighter for justice, equity and dignity… He died standing for something.”
David Wachira, known as JNationist, shared photos from his “final photoshoot” followed by a mock obituary titled “In Loving Memory of David Wachira: Born April 17, 2000 Rested June 25, 2025.” The post received over 26,000 likes and drew thousands of comments.

TikTok mortuary educator and content creator Ann Mwangangi said she received more than 20 calls in one day from young people asking to pre-book her services.
“Someone even sent me Sh. 1,000 and told me he is paying in instalments,” said Mwangangi. “I thought he was paying for facial products, but he surprised me that he was paying for morgue!”
“Somebody even called my hospital asking if I was okay. Kenyans, you are mad. You’re not okay. But please, stay safe!” she said.