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.
The Embakasi East legislator, who is also a practicing advocate, arrived at the station accompanied by a team of lawyers to demand the immediate release of youths arrested during the protests. After lengthy legal engagements with police officers, several of the demonstrators were released on free police bonds late Thursday evening.
Speaking outside the station, Owino confirmed that his legal team would continue representing those who remained in custody. He said advocates would appear in court on Friday to seek their release and ensure they received legal representation throughout the proceedings.
Addressing supporters and the media, Owino criticized what he described as arbitrary arrests of peaceful demonstrators, maintaining that the constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully cannot be suspended through police directives. He argued that every Kenyan is entitled to exercise the freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution.
The developments came hours after Owino participated in demonstrations held in Nairobi’s Central Business District to mark the second anniversary of the June 2024 anti-government protests.
Following his participation in the protests and his legal intervention at the police station, reports emerged that the government had withdrawn the MP’s state-provided security detail.
Reacting to the move, Owino dismissed the withdrawal as an attempt to intimidate him, saying it would not deter him from defending the rights of Kenyans. In a statement posted on his social media platforms, he declared, “I do not fear intimidation. Kenyans are my security.”
The reported withdrawal of the MP’s security detail came amid heightened political tensions following the anniversary demonstrations, as legal teams and human rights organizations continued monitoring the treatment of protesters arrested in different parts of the country.
