Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has condemned Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja following the violent disruption of peaceful protests in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday June 17, 2025.
The demonstrations were held in honour of the late Albert Ojwang, a blogger who died under controversial circumstances while in police custody.
Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, Babu Owino expressed anger over the violence witnessed across the capital city and accused Governor Sakaja of allegedly hiring goons to attack demonstrators.
“I stand to you as a citizen who is deeply outraged by the senseless violence we are witnessing,” said Babu Owino.
According to the MP, the attacks targeted innocent Kenyans who were peacefully protesting the death of Ojwang.
“The recent attack by goons on innocent people are not just cowardly, they are direct assaults on the values we hold dear as a society, the value of peace, dignity and justice.”
“These goons, these thugs are not heroes, they’re criminals and must be treated as such,” he said.
Owino emphasized that leaders cannot remain silent while citizens are beaten, harassed, and intimidated during peaceful demonstrations.
At the same time, he condemned the killing of a protester by a police officer during the unrest in Nairobi.
“I condemn the killing of one protester at the CBD by a police officer, an officer whose responsibility is to protect lives and property.”
“I want to warn this officer, having known very well what is happening in this country that his own boss is going to be charged with murder,” he said.
Owino directly addressed the Governor of Nairobi, condemning his actions during the protests.
“Your actions today do not make you strong. Hurting others does not give you power, it reveals your weakness, reveals your fear, it reveals your utter lack of respect for the rule of law, and we will not allow fear to win.”
The MP assured victims and their families that the fight for justice would continue and that no Kenyan should live in fear because of their beliefs, background, or opinions.
He advised Sakaja to live up to the values he preached during his campaigns in 2022:
“Siasa bila chuki. Siasa bila vita.” (Politics without hate. Politics without violence.)
