Mothers rising up against police brutality attacked by state-linked goons

What was meant to be a peaceful assembly of Kenyan mothers demanding justice for victims of police brutality descended into terror and chaos when armed goons on Sunday stormed the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices in Lavington, Nairobi.

About 20 masked men wielding wooden clubs forced their way into the compound, breaking the gate and storming the building where mothers, journalists, and human rights activists had gathered to hold a press briefing ahead of today’s Saba Saba protests.

Moments before the attack, the women had been singing freedom songs. But in a matter of seconds, the mood turned into confusion, tension, fear and screams as the women scrambled for safety inside the commission’s office.

Phones and laptops were stolen, and fear gripped attendees who scattered in all directions seeking safety. The goons issued threats and demanded the immediate dispersal of the briefing.

Hired thugs

Outside, the attackers, believed to be hired thugs linked to politicians in Nairobi, roughed up journalists and singled out those of the Standard Group. At least three journalists lost their cameras, laptops, mobile phones including a photojournalist from Standard Group whose mobile phone was snatched for recording the chaos.

Muthoni Kamau, one of the attendees, had her car broken into and a laptop stolen.

Unbowed and firm, the women insisted that they shall come out to the streets today during the protests for commemoration of Saba Saba Day.

“We would like to tell those in power that this spirit of Saba Saba has just been reawakened and it will not be stopped. What they are doing is just fuelling it. We will liberate Kenya and the fight goes on,” said Kamau.

Kamau stated that the incident exposed the bigger problem of State-hired goons during peaceful gathering and protests.

‘‘Our young people are asking for good governance. They are demanding their rights. In this regime, capitation is not being disbursed to schools, Linda Mama was scrapped off. We are tired of empty promises while those in power are just allocating themselves money,” said Kamau.

Ruthi Mumbi, said the politicians were weaponising poverty and joblessness among the youth.

“They attacked us in a safe space. A private property. That is unacceptable. We were only gathering to tell the government to stop brutalising our children during peaceful protests,” said Mumbi

“You cannot fight children and still fight their mothers. Choose your war. It is time they accept that the people have rejected bad governance and corruption,” she added.

The gathering had been called to speak out against police killings of the youth, a crisis that many believe is spiralling out of control.

Salma Twalib, a human rights defender from Badili Africa, gave a chilling account: “One of the goons threatened to slit my breasts. If mothers can be attacked in a human rights office, who in this country is safe?”

Twalib added that she no longer feels safe at home as some of the attackers addressed her by name. Some identified some of the attackers as being from Dagoretti, Nairobi.

The incident was reported at Muthangari Police Station, but at the time of this report, no arrests had been made.

“Women are the ones who suffer the most when these violations happen. The men who are being killed are our husbands, they are our children and our appeal to the government is to stop this trend,” said Twalib.

Noosim Naimasiah, another mother who had brought her children along lost her phone in the chaos while shielding them, regretting the incident and terming it as unacceptable.

“What the government is doing is mobilising our own children against us. What you have done is unacceptable. I was there, I couldn’t run, my children were looking at me crying and so traumatised.

“I’m a Kenyan mother and for that reason, I heeded to the call by Kenyans mothers to defend our children who are being killed by police in the streets. It is unacceptable to see the blood of our children being spilled when they are fighting for their rights,” Naimasiah stated.

She called out the government for turning against its own people.

“They are fighting for our rights and our freedom. They are fighting against a regime that has gone rogue and that does not listen to its people and is exploiting the people every day,” Naimasiah added.

Our children

Naimasiah called on the government to acknowledge that the uprising is a result of consistent trampling of the people by the government.

“We were just gathering to ask our children to be left in peace, we were praying for our children but we were met with violence,” she added.

Salafia Wambui, an 89-year-old was among the last people to be rescued from the premises and had to be rushed to a nearby health facility after her blood pressure spiked during the ordeal.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Police Reforms Working Group condemned the incident demanding for identification and arrests of the perpetrators.

They also demanded for guaranteed safety of journalists, human rights defenders, women and all citizens exercising their fundamental rights.

“The use of armed goons to suppress the voices of the people as they agitate for a better society and county, is out of order,” said LSK president Faith Odhiambo.

“The evolution of the deployment of goons from political gatherings to peaceful demonstrations and now to press conferences and public engagements is a cause for outrage. It is time this criminality is put to an end,” Odhiambo stated.

According to Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG), the attack follows a concerning pattern of targeting the KHRC exemplified by the deportation of their program advisor, Martin Mavenjina, on July 5, 2025.

“Such actions indicate a deliberate effort to intimidate and cripple human rights organisations. LSK and PRWG stands in solidarity with KHRC, the brave mothers, human rights defenders and journalists who were subjected to the horrific ordeal,” said PRWG in their statement. 

The meeting was meant to honour and celebrate the powerful role that Kenyan mothers play in shaping the country’s democracy; from the struggle for independence to the fight against torture and enforced disappearances.

In a joint statement later after the attack at KHRC headquarters, the mothers indicated that they had gathered to honour women who occupied Freedom Corner from February 1992 to January 1993 to fight for the release of their sons.

“Today, we stand united, our hearts heavy with grief and our spirits are broken. We condemn the police brutality that’s tearing our communities and country apart. We bear the weight of our children’s future and we demand a safer, more just Kenya for our children,” read the joint statement.

“We the Kenyan mothers from all walks of life gather to mourn our fallen children, killed by the same government we put in place because we hoped it would guarantee the safety and security of our offsprings, the fruits of our wombs,” added the statement.

“A parent should never have to bury their child! We stand united, demanding justice, transparency, and accountability from those entrusted to protect our families. No more lives should be lost to brutality and impunity,” the mothers demanded.

They called on law enforcement agencies to uphold the highest standards of integrity and respect for human life during protests which is a guaranteed right in the constitution.

The mothers also raised concerns over the increasing reported cases of Gender Based Violence during protests including rape

“No woman or girl should face violence, harassment, abuse or rape simply for speaking up. We’re calling on the police to protect us by making sure that spaces for protest are safe, respectful, and free from sexual and gender-based violence,” read the statement

Speak up

“It’s honestly disappointing to see women in leadership staying silent - or even supporting public order laws that make it harder for the rest of us to speak up. We expected more concern and solidarity, especially when these laws limit the voices of fellow women,” the mothers added.

The mothers vowed not to be silenced, stating that they would join the young people in the streets whom they said have bravely exercised their right to assemble.

“Let us come together to build a society where every voice is heard, every soul is valued, and every child can thrive. When violence infiltrates peaceful protests, it’s our own future that’s torn apart — the future we dream of for our children,” they said.