Mulembe Times | June 30, 2025
A Nairobi court will decide on July 2 whether to extend detention of three activists linked to the June 25 protests. DCI claims the suspects coordinated violent acts and pose flight risks.
Three activists arrested in connection with the violent aftermath of the June 25 anti-government protests will remain in custody as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) seeks to detain them for 21 additional days to complete investigations.
A Nairobi magistrate’s court will rule on the DCI’s application on July 2, 2025, even as public debate intensifies over what critics are calling a growing pattern of arbitrary arrests targeting protest leaders.
Arrested En Route to Mombasa
The activists—John Mulingwa Nzau (alias Garang), Mark Amiani (Generali), and Francis Mutunge Mwangi (Chebukati)—were apprehended on June 27 while traveling aboard a Randa Coach Services bus headed to Mombasa. The bus, registration number KCE 959X, was intercepted by law enforcement officers near Konza City on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, following what the DCI describes as “credible intelligence.”
According to court filings, the three are being investigated for a range of serious offenses, including:
- Arson
- Theft
- Housebreaking and burglary
- Malicious damage to property
All the charges stem from incidents during the June 25 demonstrations, which saw widespread looting, attacks on police stations, and the destruction of private businesses within Nairobi’s Central Business District.
Evidence Recovered: Phones, Notes, and “FORUM CIV”
During the arrest, officers seized six mobile phones and a notebook labeled “FORUM CIV”, which reportedly contains names, coordination plans, and logistical strategies allegedly tied to the protests.
DCI investigators believe the suspects are key organizers behind violent elements that hijacked what had largely been billed as peaceful Gen Z-led demonstrations.
“We are yet to subject the recovered phones to forensic analysis. We believe the devices may contain vital information relevant to the ongoing investigations,” said a lead officer in the affidavit presented to court.
DCI: Risk to Investigations and National Security
In its plea to extend detention, the DCI argued that releasing the suspects now would pose serious risks to ongoing investigations, the safety of potential witnesses, and the integrity of crucial evidence yet to be analyzed.
The Directorate also flagged the trio as flight risks, citing their interception while leaving Nairobi shortly after the protests turned violent.
“We believe the suspects were fleeing Nairobi to evade arrest following the unrest,” the DCI submitted.
The DCI further requested time to analyze digital evidence, cross-reference names listed in the recovered notebook, and link them to similar incidents reported in other towns.
Legal Team and Civil Society Response
Lawyers representing the suspects have dismissed the charges as politically motivated, saying the state is using law enforcement to suppress dissent.
“This is persecution, not prosecution. Our clients have not been presented with any tangible evidence linking them to crimes. They are being punished for participating in constitutionally protected protests,” said lead counsel Martha Wekesa.
Several civil society organizations, including the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), have also condemned the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on civic space.
The June 25 protests marked one year since the deadly 2024 anti-finance bill demonstrations, in which over 60 Kenyans were killed. What began as peaceful commemorations spiraled into chaos in parts of Nairobi and other towns after suspected infiltrators turned violent.
Security forces responded with force, and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen issued controversial shoot-to-kill remarks, drawing widespread condemnation from human rights groups and opposition leaders.
The court will rule on Wednesday, July 2, whether to grant the DCI the requested 21 days or release the suspects on bail. Meanwhile, IPOA and other oversight bodies are investigating police conduct during the June 25 operations.
