Popularly known as Chama, the youth activist gained nationwide attention after viral videos captured him inside the National Assembly chambers during the chaotic protests against the controversial Finance Bill.
The footage, widely shared across social media platforms at the height of the demonstrations, showed Chama standing inside Parliament chambers and addressing the Speaker’s seat while chanting anti-government slogans moments after protesters breached the heavily guarded parliamentary precincts.
The incident quickly became one of the most symbolic moments of the 2024 protests, which saw thousands of young Kenyans take to the streets in opposition to proposed tax measures under the Finance Bill.
The demonstrations escalated dramatically after protesters overwhelmed security officers and stormed Parliament as lawmakers debated the Bill, triggering one of the most serious political crises faced by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
In the aftermath of the protests, Chama disappeared from public view as authorities launched investigations into individuals accused of organising demonstrations, damaging property, and unlawfully entering Parliament buildings.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his disappearance, Chama revealed that he had spent months moving from one location to another while deliberately avoiding public attention.
According to him, fears of arrest and persecution following the deadly crackdown on protesters forced him into hiding shortly after the demonstrations.
“My life completely changed after those protests,” he said while recounting the events that followed his now-famous appearance inside Parliament.
He described living in uncertainty and constantly changing locations to avoid being traced as investigations intensified in the months after the demonstrations.
The Gen Z-led protests of 2024 marked a major political turning point in Kenya, with young people mobilising largely through social media to oppose increased taxation and demand greater government accountability.
Several protesters were killed or injured during clashes with police, while many others were arrested during the demonstrations and subsequent security operations.
Chama’s image inside Parliament became a powerful symbol of youth defiance and frustration with the political establishment, drawing both praise and criticism from different sections of the public.