NAIROBI, Kenya – Police in Nairobi on Monday arrested activists Julius Kamau and Collins Otieno and dispersed a gathering at Jeevanjee Gardens after blocking a planned peaceful march to State House by families of victims of police brutality during the Gen Z protests.
The two activists were forcefully arrested in the Central Business District as police declared the gardens a no-go zone, breaking up crowds that had assembled ahead of the procession.
Officers bundled Kamau and Otieno into a waiting police van and drove them to Central Police Station.
The march, organised by activists and families of those killed or injured during last year’s anti-government protests, was intended as a symbolic appeal to President William Ruto for justice, accountability and compensation. Organisers said participants were to carry only flowers and the national flag.
Police moved in shortly after participants began gathering, ordering people to leave the area and dispersing even members of the public who routinely use the gardens.
“This meeting and march have been declared illegal, yet we notified police in advance about our intentions,” Kamau shouted as officers restrained him.
Otieno condemned the police action, saying the arrests reflected growing intolerance of dissent.
“What is the government afraid of if citizens are protesting against injustice? This shows the President is not ready to allow the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution,” he said.
Police officers at the scene said they were acting on orders to disperse the gathering and prevent the procession from proceeding.
Families demand justice
The blocked march came 550 days after Rex Masai became the first protester to be killed during the Gen Z demonstrations.
Masai was shot dead on June 20, 2024, while walking home. Subsequent protests — including anniversary commemorations on June 25, 2025, and the Saba Saba marches on July 7, 2025 — saw more youths shot, some inside their homes.
Kelvin Simba, the brother of the late Mike Brian Kasaine, said families were frustrated by the lack of accountability.
“According to findings by the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, three out of every five extrajudicial killings involved shots fired from behind, meaning the victims were fleeing and unarmed,” Simba said.
“As of December 18, 2025, 547 days after Rex Masai’s death, not a single police officer has been held accountable.”
The families also criticised the government for delays in compensation, despite a presidential proclamation issued on August 8, 2025, establishing a framework for reparations for victims of police violence dating back to 2017.
“Many families are facing Christmas without the laughter of their loved ones,” read part of the notice sent to police. “We also march in solidarity with survivors left paralysed or permanently disabled.”
Rights and notification dispute
Organisers said they had formally notified police of the procession, which was scheduled to start at 9am from Jeevanjee Gardens.
The notice cited Article 37 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to assemble, demonstrate and petition public authorities peacefully and unarmed.
“This is not a protest but a plea for justice,” Simba said. “We trusted that police would not harass or arrest grieving parents and siblings.”
The notification was addressed to the Nairobi Regional Police Commander and copied to the Inspector General of Police, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Despite the assurances, police blocked the march, arrested the activists and dispersed families and supporters.
Organisers said the procession was meant to honour the memories of what they termed the “Gen Z Mashujaa” and renew calls for justice as the country approaches the Christmas season.
