On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, thousands of Kenyans poured into the streets in what is now being termed one of the most organised and digitally coordinated protest movements in the country’s recent history. At the heart of the mobilisation was a powerful hashtag: #SiriNiNumbers.
Spearheaded by Kenya’s tech-savvy Generation Z, the movement transformed social media platforms into virtual war rooms. Digital posters, coded calls, viral threads, and real-time updates turned Twitter (X) and TikTok into critical engines of mobilisation. What began as murmurs online grew into a national moment, uniting voices against the controversial Finance Bill 2024 and commemorating victims of past demonstrations.
By 8am, streets in major towns, particularly Nairobi, were already swelling with protesters. Armed with smartphones and dressed predominantly in black, demonstrators braved teargas, water cannons, and a heavy police presence to make their voices heard. Private vehicles were thoroughly screened, while public transport was blocked from accessing the city, forcing many commuters to walk.
The hashtag #SiriNiNumbers, which translates to “Our strength is in numbers,” rapidly trended as young Kenyans used it to rally, plan, and inspire action. Group chats morphed into command centres; memes became tools of resistance.
Protesters first gathered at Uhuru Park, later pushing through barricades to march along State House Road an area traditionally off-limits to demonstrators. Despite heavy deployment of anti-riot police, the crowd held its ground throughout the day.
By 5pm, clashes between protesters and police intensified as thousands surged toward Nairobi’s central business district. Chants of “Reject Finance Bill!” echoed across the city, accompanied by the thud of stones and clouds of white teargas smoke.
This protest marked a pivotal moment, with demonstrators breaching State House Road for the first time an act symbolising defiance and courage. It mirrored the dramatic scenes of 2024, when Parliament was stormed during earlier anti-government protests.
June 25, 2025, will be remembered as the day digital activism translated into physical, unyielding resistance proof that in the age of social media, silence is no longer an option, and indeed, Siri ni numbers.
