On June 1, 2024, a protest occurred in Nairobi on Madaraka Day as women's rights organizations, civil society groups, survivors, and citizens gathered to demand action against rising cases of femicide and gender-based violence. Women are being killed at an alarming rate, despite public outrage, policy commitments, task forces, and repeated promises from leaders. Every few weeks, another family mourns a daughter, sister, mother, or friend. Missing children’s cases have increased and remain unresolved.

In mid-2024, the Kenyan government introduced the Finance Bill 2024, aiming to increase taxes on essential commodities to address fiscal deficits. The bill proposed a 16% tax on goods and services for specialized hospitals and raised import taxes from 2.5% to 3%. Many perceived the bill as exacerbating the already high cost of living, leading to widespread discontent. On June 25, 2024, thousands of protesters stormed the Parliament Building in Nairobi. The unrest resulted in the tragic loss of 19 lives in the capital and injuries to over 200 individuals.

According to eastleighvoice.co.ke, Kenya faces crisis as unrest escalates and unimplemented reforms undermine efforts to initiate dialogue. Youth engaged the police along Jogoo Road, Nairobi, during Saba Saba protests on July 7, 2025. Some leaders claimed that the violence is domiciled in Central Kenya, where alleged hired thugs looted and burned businesses. Escalating political tensions and a surge of violence during recent protests have pushed Kenya to the brink, exposing long-standing grievances that have remained unresolved for years. In the absence of meaningful reforms, these underlying issues continue to fuel a dangerous cycle of unrest and instability. As the state calls for dialogue to ease rising tensions, many are questioning what form it will take—and why recommendations from previous dialogues and commissions, which could have prevented the current crisis, remain largely unimplemented.