Mulamwah, Oga Obinna and celebrities who have voiced heartbreak over Saba Saba chaos
By Steve Ireri, July 9, 2025The Saba Saba demonstrations that erupted on Monday, July 7, 2025, began as a peaceful nationwide protest championed largely by Kenya’s Gen Z youth, who flooded the streets to call for political accountability, economic reforms, and an end to what they described as years of betrayal by the leadership.
What started as an organised show of civic defiance quickly turned bloody, as heavily armed police officers and unidentified men in civilian clothing unleashed tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition on crowds in Nairobi and at least sixteen other counties, according to human rights monitors.
By the end of the day, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) confirmed that at least 10 people had lost their lives, 29 others had sustained serious injuries, and 2 individuals had been abducted.
The Commission further documented 37 arrests across seventeen counties and accused the police of disregarding court orders by deploying hooded officers and unleashing violence without accountability.
The carnage shocked the nation and fuelled widespread mourning across social and traditional media, with scenes of blood-soaked pavements, wailing parents, and brutalised protesters dominating public discourse.
As the grief rippled across the country, some of Kenya’s most influential celebrities took to their platforms in disbelief and anguish.
While some essentially made posts to stand in solidarity with the supporters who took to the streets on that day, others went all out with lengthy messages, calling out the police and the government over the killings. Here are some of them, including celebrity dancer Tileh Pacbro and singer Masterpiece.
Tileh
Dancer Tileh Pacbro, who was previously in a relationship with Spanish dancer Martina Glez, was among the first artistes to express distress, lamenting that the country was hurtling in the wrong direction after disturbing videos emerged showing police officers brutally whipping unarmed citizens.
He posted a harrowing photo of young children weeping as a police officer pointed a gun at one of their heads, then layered it with a heart graphic coloured in the Kenyan flag, deliberately shattered at the centre to symbolise his heartbreak and dismay.
In his caption, Tileh expressed deep sorrow, stating that he could not comprehend what wrong the people had done to deserve such violence.
“What did we do to deserve this?” he posed, alongside heartbroken and teary emojis.
Masterpiece
Renowned artiste Masterpiece also poured out his grief online on the evening of Tuesday, July 8, 2025, decrying how police brutality had left countless families, particularly mothers, drowning in anguish and crying out for justice.
He quoted a now-viral plea by a heartbroken mother from Kiambu, who sobbed on live camera, saying she was stuck and had no idea where to begin after her daughter was shot during the protests.
The singer, visibly shaken, said he was personally mourning for Kenya and posted a bleeding Kenyan flag in solidarity with the devastated families.
“Will I ever get justice for my child? And even if I do, will they bring my daughter back to life? I weep for this country,” Masterpiece wrote.
Buruklyn Boy 1
Ajay, popularly known as Buruklyn Boy 1 for his role in the headline drill group Buruklyn Boyz, also made a bold statement.
Hours after reports emerged that security officers had once again shot protesters during the Saba Saba demonstrations, Ajay replaced his Instagram profile photo with an image of a caricature of President Ruto, crossed out by a bold red line—an unapologetic sign of defiance.
This came just days after Ajay and fellow drill artiste Big Yasa had jointly condemned the government, claiming Kenya was now trending globally for all the wrong reasons, including the unjustified killings of its own citizens.
Mulamwah
Comedian Mulamwah, who has been engaged in high-profile online exchanges in recent weeks, also joined the voices of outrage, targeting police officers over a viral video that showed them dragging an injured protester across the tarmac.
The comedian wrote a scathing post on his Instagram stories, saying he was struggling to grasp how an officer would not only shoot someone but also have the audacity to drag them on the ground like waste.
He wondered aloud what reward could be worth such cruelty and questioned how the officer responsible found peace at night.
“But to shoot someone and then drag them like that? For what? For how much? To please whom? Is it worth it? How do you sleep?” Mulamwah posed.
He went on to warn that by accepting blood money to carry out heinous acts, such officers were invoking generational curses—curses that would follow them home and afflict their innocent children, who would unknowingly feed and study on the wages of blood.
“You are feeding and educating your children with blood-stained money from killings? That is a cursed task force. My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones.”
Amber Ray
Socialite Amber Ray, who is married to businessman Kennedy Rapudo, may have been away on vacation in Bangkok, but the cries of her country pierced through.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Amber criticised the leadership for allowing citizens who were merely expressing their grievances to be silenced with bullets.
She praised those who braved the Saba Saba protests, saying their steps, chants, and tears echoed the pain and the power of an awakened nation.
“Yesterday, the streets spoke. They echoed pain, power, and purpose. Young voices rising like thunder—not in anger, but in hope. Saba Saba reminded us: the spirit of ’92 still lives.
“In every step marched, in every chant raised, and in every tear shed for a better Kenya. To those who showed up—physically, online, in prayer, or in heart—you are the heartbeat of this nation. We may be bruised, but we are not broken. Change is coming… because we are awake now,” she wrote.
Oga Obinna
Comedian and media personality Oga Obinna did not hold back either.
He reposted a disturbing video clip where a police officer was seen pursuing a protester while uttering chilling threats to kill him. The officer could be heard saying he had been authorised to kill and would send the protester to the mortuary.
Obinna, shaken by the blatant show of impunity, said the clip was a clear sign that Kenya was heading into dangerous territory.
“Translation: ‘I have permission to kill you, and I will make you sleep in a fridge.’ That is what the police officer said to civilians he is supposed to protect. I weep for my country,” he wrote on Instagram.
Joyce Omondi
Gospel singer Joyce Omondi also broke her silence, expressing sorrow over what she described as the dimming of Kenya’s once-radiant glory.
She posted a simple Kenyan flag and offered a prayer for mercy, saying Kenya needed God’s intervention now more than ever.
“Oh Lord, remember mercy and restore the glory of this nation,” Joyce posted, adding heartbroken emojis.
