By Vivian Anyango
Prominent youth activist Hanifa Safia Adan was physically assaulted on Tuesday during a protest held in Nairobi’s Central Business District in honor of the late blogger Albert Ojwang, whose controversial death in police custody has sparked a new wave of youth-led demonstrations across the country.
The protest, largely organized by Gen Z activists, began peacefully but descended into violence after unidentified goons on motorcycles infiltrated the procession along Moi Avenue. Hanifa, a leading figure in Kenya’s civic engagement and human rights space, was reportedly attacked by one of the men who snatched her phone during the chaos.
“I was beaten and dragged by a group of men. One of them took my phone,” Hanifa recounted shortly after the incident. “Thanks to some brave bystanders, I was able to recover it, but this shows how unsafe peaceful protest has become.”
Eyewitnesses reported that at least two motorcycles belonging to the suspected attackers were set on fire by enraged protesters. One of the assailants was allegedly caught and beaten by the crowd before fleeing the scene.
Despite the visible tension and unfolding violence, multiple witnesses accused uniformed police officers of standing by without intervening—a move that has drawn harsh criticism from protest leaders and civil society organizations.
“It’s appalling that law enforcement stood there and watched as activists were attacked. Their silence is complicity,” Hanifa said.
The assault on Hanifa Safia comes amid growing concern over the infiltration of peaceful demonstrations by hired thugs allegedly meant to sow confusion and undermine the legitimacy of citizen-led movements. Activists believe these groups are deployed to provoke violence and provide a pretext for police crackdowns.
Tuesday’s march was part of a series of nationwide protests demanding justice for Ojwang, who died under murky circumstances in police custody. His death has reignited long-standing grievances about police brutality, impunity, and the urgent need for comprehensive reform within Kenya’s law enforcement agencies.
The attack on Hanifa has drawn widespread condemnation online, with fellow activists and public figures rallying in support and renewing calls for enhanced protection of human rights defenders and stricter accountability for both rogue officers and organized disruptors.
As the youth-led movement continues to grow in strength and numbers, organizers vow they will not be silenced.
“We are not going anywhere,” Hanifa said defiantly. “If they think violence will intimidate us, they have misjudged this generation.”
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