How beatings by city askaris turned hawker Julius Kamau into rights activist

Few knew about activist Julius Kamau until his June 13 dramatic disruption of former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u's photo session on budget day.

Kamau was arrested, and there was more drama in court as he lectured a magistrate.

Speaking to The Eastleigh Voice about his activism, described himself as a law-abiding Kenyan.

"I am an activist, a freedom fighter and very passionate about human rights in this country," says Kamau.

He has been an activist for the last 15 years and to him, activism is a calling that should unite everyone who seeks a better country.

He works closely with the Social Justice Centres Working Group, a conglomerate of grassroots social justice centres seeking to combat neo-liberalism and neo-colonialism and working to advance social justice and human rights across the country.

He plunged into activism in 2010 when, as a hawker, he would constantly be harassed by Nairobi City County inspectorate officers, commonly known as kanjos.

"I got into activism because of what I saw our people going through. Hawkers were being beaten and frustrated by county inspectorate officers. This made me rise against such injustices," says Kamau.

He started mobilising hawkers and educating them about their rights.

“I realised that politicians are only concerned about themselves and do not mind about the welfare of poor people," he says.

Having immersed himself in human rights activism, he says he is not afraid of being arrested because "you go to a battle to win and you must stand up for what you believe is right".

He is sad and enraged by the increasing number of cases of abductions in the country. He is not happy that his colleagues in the struggle have been kidnapped and some cannot be found.

The activist prefers the Dedan Kimathi statue along Kimathi Street as his favourite spot for staging protests.

"We are suffering under people who betrayed the true freedom fighters of this country. That is why I honour the contribution of Dedan Kimathi to our freedom and liberation every time there is a protest," Kamau says.

On his lecturing of a magistrate and other court officials upon his arrest after he interrupted a state function, Kamau notes that he was angry with the government officials who perpetuated anarchy and bolstered the wrong actions of politicians.

Kamau had appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Benard Ochoi alongside his co-accused Eric Mankuyu. They were charged with creating disturbance by yelling, shouting, and attempting to disrupt the National Treasury CS’s photo session.

"The government oppresses Kenyans. We are facing a high cost of living and yet we were colonised. Colonisation never really ended," Kamau lamented in court last Friday.

Through his lawyer Soyinka Lempaa, Kamau urged the court to allow him to plead, asserting that he was mentally fit to take the plea.

"My client is a frustrated man as the economy keeps souring. He has a family and is the breadwinner. Please allow him to plead to the charges," Lempaa said.

Sometimes he chains himself in posts bare-chested. When he does this, police drag him away forcefully. Kamau vows to be in the streets for the rights of Kenyans, and you are likely to see him holding a placard about some violation in the next demonstration.