Internet sensation and businesswoman Ntazola Gloria has spoken out following the shooting of an unarmed hawker during protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
The protests were part of the growing nationwide demand for justice for the late Albert Ojwang’, a teacher and blogger who died while in police custody.
Gloria, visibly frustrated by the state of the nation, took to her Instagram stories on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, to express deep anger and disappointment over what she described as a broken system. She questioned the effectiveness of protesting and called out politicians, both those in power and those claiming to support the people.
She said many of these leaders were exploiting the public’s desperation to rise to power, only to become oppressors themselves. Gloria expressed a complete loss of faith in the political class, calling them self-serving and untrustworthy, warning citizens to be cautious about who they support.
“A plan, what’s the plan?? Yes, will go on the streets, yes, will post bad government, yes, will do all that.t Then what how do we clean the system??? Who do we trust?? Politicians are pathetic people.e Even those acting to be on our side are cons they want to thrive on our desperation to become another bunch of oppressors,” Ntazola declared.
Adding;
“Everything that comes out of a politician’s mouth is for his interests, not because he cares about you. All that system is rigged completely. You need to be careful who you give your loyalty to. They are all killers !!!”
Chaos and injuries
The protests, initially peaceful, had been organised to push for justice and accountability over Ojwang’s mysterious death in police custody. Protesters also demanded the resignation of Police Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat. However, the demonstrations quickly turned violent.
Tensions flared early in the day on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, when anti-riot police disrupted the planned march, which was scheduled to start at Aga Khan Walk. Protesters, many of them young people, were met with volleys of tear gas even before the procession began.
Despite the chaos, demonstrators regrouped and continued to march through various streets, chanting slogans such as “Justice for Ojwang” and “Stop Police Brutality.” They accused police of enabling extrajudicial killings and using excessive force on unarmed civilians.
The situation worsened with the appearance of masked individuals, believed to be goons, who stormed the city centre armed with knives, clubs, and other weapons. Witnesses reported that these men, some shouting support for the police, attacked both demonstrators and bystanders. A video taken on Moi Avenue shows several of them encouraging officers to beat up protesters.
On Koinange Street, a man suspected of being one of the attackers was cornered and beaten by boda boda riders who claimed he was attempting to rob civilians. He was later rescued by someone who appeared to be familiar with him and whisked away in a police lorry, raising questions about collusion.
As the violence spread, shops and businesses were targeted. An electronics shop was among those looted as panic gripped the CBD.
There is growing speculation that these masked gangs were planted to sabotage the demonstrations and paint protesters as violent. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has raised alarm over this possibility.
In its preliminary report, KNCHR revealed that 22 people were injured during the unrest, including the unarmed hawker who was shot at close range by police along Moi Avenue. The victim is currently in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital. Others sustained gunshot wounds, were whipped, or suffered asthma attacks due to exposure to tear gas.
The human rights commission condemned the police response, saying the protests were largely peaceful and that the force used was excessive and unnecessary. It also reported the arrest of four Human Rights Defenders in Mombasa who had followed all legal procedures and conducted themselves peacefully. KNCHR called for their immediate and unconditional release.
The commission further documented the presence of masked gangs on motorbikes who disrupted the protests, robbing and assaulting demonstrators and civilians using crude weapons, tyre whips, and wooden clubs. Their activities forced many businesses in the CBD to shut down.
KNCHR noted that some police officers concealed their identities by covering their faces and removing identification numbers from their vehicles—actions that violate a court order requiring all law enforcement officers deployed to protests to be clearly identifiable.
The commission warned that when police officers openly disregard the law, it sends a dangerous message and encourages impunity across society.
