By Perez Karisa,June 26, 2026
Babu Owino on Thursday night secured the release of several Gen Z protesters who had been detained at the Nairobi Central Police Station following their arrest during the June 25 anniversary demonstrations commemorating the 2024 anti-government protests.
The Embakasi East legislator, who is also a practicing advocate, arrived at the police station accompanied by a legal team to demand the release of demonstrators arrested during the day’s protests. Following legal engagements with police officers, several of the detainees were released on free police bonds late Thursday night.
Speaking outside the station, Owino said his legal team would continue representing those who remained in custody, confirming that advocates would appear in court to seek their release and ensure they receive legal representation throughout the proceedings.
The MP criticized what he termed arbitrary arrests of peaceful demonstrators, arguing that the constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully cannot be suspended through administrative or police directives. He maintained that the arrests were inconsistent with constitutional protections guaranteeing freedom of assembly and expression.
The developments at the police station came hours after Owino participated in demonstrations in Nairobi’s Central Business District marking the second anniversary of the June 2024 anti-government protests.
Later Thursday, reports emerged that the government had withdrawn Owino’s state-provided security detail following his participation in the demonstrations and his legal intervention on behalf of the arrested protesters.
Responding to the decision, Owino dismissed the move as an attempt to intimidate him, insisting that it would not deter him from defending the rights of Kenyans. In a statement shared on his social media platforms, the legislator declared, “I do not fear intimidation… Kenyans are my security.”
The incidents unfolded amid heightened political tensions surrounding the anniversary demonstrations, with legal teams and human rights organizations continuing to monitor the handling of protesters arrested in different parts of the country.
