Activist Julius Kamau detained after disrupting Saba Saba protest hearing
By Ascah Mwango, July 16, 2025Activist Julius Kamau has once again found himself on the wrong side of the law after causing drama in court on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
Kamau was detained after forcefully entering a courtroom where a hearing was underway for 58 youths who were arrested during the recent Saba Saba protests held on Monday, July 7, 2025.
The case was being heard in camera, meaning it was closed to the public, but Kamau barged in and disrupted the proceedings.
“Shoot and kill me, I am ready to die for Kenya, I am ready to die for my people, sitapigia wauwaji magoti,” he was heard shouting passionately in the video widely circulated on social media.
This is not the first time Julius Kamau has been involved in a courtroom outburst.
In September 2024, he interrupted the hearing of a case against activist Boniface Mwangi and four others who had been arrested in connection with Gen Z protests. His actions led to the temporary suspension of the court session.
Kamau has become a familiar face in Kenya’s protest scenes, often showing up during major national events, including budget reading days and anti-government demonstrations. He was particularly active during the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition protests following the 2022 general elections.
One of his most dramatic incidents occurred on June 14, 2024, when he and another protester, Eric Mankuyu, were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts. The two were accused of disrupting former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u’s photo session held outside the National Treasury building along Harambee Avenue a day earlier.
During the photo session on June 13, Kamau reportedly ran across the road and stormed the event while chanting, “We must resist… people are suffering.” Dressed in all black, he was quickly whisked away by security officers. Although it appeared he acted alone, police later produced both Kamau and Mankuyu in court.
The two were charged with creating a disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by yelling, shouting, and attempting to disrupt the official function.
While in court, Kamau created another scene. Despite efforts by his lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru and the presiding magistrate, Benard Ochoi, to calm him down, he continued shouting in protest.
“People are suffering… I want to know what is the role of the government. The government has failed, everyone has failed… We must have this conversation… We cannot continue living like this…” Kamau shouted inside the courtroom.
The court orderly also tried to calm him, but his protests only grew louder. The magistrate was then forced to order a mental assessment before Kamau could plead to the charges. The report was to be presented in court on Tuesday the following week.
Kamau’s co-accused, Mankuyu, denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Ksh10,000 after requesting lenient bond terms. The case was set to be mentioned again on June 26, 2024.