Embakasi East MP Babu Owino arrived for the protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, where he was met with thunderous jubilation from hundreds of youth who had gathered in anticipation.
The youthful crowd erupted in cheers as they began chanting “Babu! Babu!” while raising their hands in the air with excitement.
Some lifted him shoulder-high, turning the street into a scene of celebration charged with raw energy and defiant optimism.
The mood, however, soon began to shift as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, with more protesters pouring in and security presence tightening across the surrounding streets.
Maraga’s surprise appearance
Former Chief Justice David Maraga also made a surprise appearance at the protests, where he was received with heroic applause by the masses.
In a video shared by SPM Buzz on Instagram, he was seen wading through the sea of demonstrators, who stepped aside with visible respect, calling him Mheshimiwa as he moved through the crowd.
The former CJ, clad in his signature calm demeanour, climbed onto a raised pillar where he stood tall and greeted the eager protesters, who responded with cheers and raised fists, celebrating his presence as a symbol of justice standing with the people.
However, things quickly turned ugly on his end as he was caught up in a sudden tear gas situation after police lobbed canisters toward the crowds that had surrounded him in jubilation. The moment of celebration dissolved into panic, with protesters scattering as plumes of white smoke filled the air.
The protests have now reached a fever-pitch high, as thousands more have joined the hundreds who flooded the streets during the early morning hours.
A livestream by a local television station captured scenes of protesters singing “Kasongo ametuzoea” — a veiled reference to President Ruto — while others, moving in a thick crowd, echoed chants of “Wantam”, a phrase symbolising their plea for Ruto to step down or serve only a single term.
Most of the protesters were dressed in black, with many draping the Kenyan flag around their faces like bandanas, while others clutched water bottles as they pushed forward with their rhythmic chants.
The symbolism was unmissable — unity, mourning, and resilience woven into one determined movement.
In Nairobi, police were seen firing tear gas canisters at sections of demonstrators, despite earlier calls from human rights organisations urging law enforcement to refrain from dispersing protesters with force.
The crackdown came even as organisers insisted that the day was meant to unfold as a peaceful commemoration.
The primary motive behind the march was to proceed to Parliament, where protesters had planned to lay wreaths and mark the day in honour of all those who lost their lives in the clamour for Kenya’s good governance.
