James Mbugua, the man living with disability who was captured in a viral video being manhandled by police during the Thursday, June 25, protests in Nakuru, is a man of great conviction.
Despite sustaining injuries to his waist and the dislocation of vital plates that literally support his movement, the 32-year-old cosmetologist remains steadfast in challenging the status quo and pushing for a better society anchored on the rule of law.
Spending a night in cold police cells, he said, is nothing new. His determination to speak out against the administration has seen him thrown into custody, face what he describes as fabricated and illogical charges, and spend money to secure his freedom.
Mr Mbugua said that remaining silent in the face of injustice is something he is not prepared to do any time soon. In his own words, he will continue to rise to the occasion to defend his country and whatever he believes in whenever called upon.
When Sunday Nation caught up with him, he was attending to a client at his Raha Salon in Nakuru County. He was having an animated conversation with his client, largely centred on the events of Thursday afternoon when he was arrested by the police. The people who witnessed the arrest described it as humiliating, sparking public outrage.
Mr Mbugua welcomed the Nation team to his salon, fully aware of the purpose of the visit following the numerous calls he had received after the viral video.
After exchanging pleasantries, he began narrating the events of the day, which he described as the most demeaning experience of his life.
Mr Mbugua said that he had joined other Kenyans in marking the second anniversary of the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protest in the streets of Nakuru town, noting that it was not his first time to participate in demonstrations that resulted in confrontations between the police and protesters.
During such times, Mr Mbugua said that he usually remains stationary so that people can easily see his physical condition.
That was the case on Thursday during the running battles in Nakuru. He was protesting along Kenyatta Avenue when a police Land Cruiser sped towards him.
"I was with two people at the edge of the road. The police vehicle came as if it wanted to knock us down, so the gentlemen I was with ran away, and I was left alone," said Mr Mbugua.
"They knocked away my crutches and threw me to the ground, telling me to board the vehicle. I asked them how I would do that without my mobility aids. When I tried holding onto a nearby pole, one of them stepped on my knuckles, and I had to let go as they dragged me and threw me into the vehicle," said Mr Mbugua.
"I fell on my back inside the Land Cruiser, and another officer pushed one of my legs into the vehicle. The impact caused the artificial discs in my spine to be dislocated at the back and neck. The metal rod on my leg also injured my hip and private parts,” he said.
Anti-riot police officers on horseback patrol the streets of Nakuru Town on June 25, 2026, as Kenya marks the second anniversary of the Gen Z protests.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Mr Mbugua said that he continues to endure pain while serving his clients because he has yet to receive medical treatment.
The Sunday Nation learnt that he spent Thursday night in police cells before being taken to court on Friday, where he was charged with obstructing roads using stones and burning tyres.
"With my condition, how is it possible for me to carry stones to block the road? This raises questions about the logic of our law enforcers," said Mr Mbugua.
He was released on a cash bail of Sh10,000.
The incident caught the attention of the Inspector-General of Police, who, in a statement, condemned the arrest, describing the officers' conduct as unprofessional.
The National Police Service acknowledged that the mishandling of Mr Mbugua amounted to unprofessional conduct, excessive use of force and a breach of the law.
"Preliminary reports indicate that the incident, which occurred on June 25 in Nakuru, may not have followed the Service's Standard Operating Procedures or the legal safeguards designed to protect the dignity and rights of suspects," read part of the statement.
The statement noted that the IG had ordered investigations into the conduct of the officers involved before appropriate action is taken.
The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) also condemned the incident, saying it amounted to a violation of the law.
In a statement signed by NCPWD’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Michael Munene, stated that Mr Mbugua's rights were gravely violated when police officers deliberately threw him to the ground and forcibly seized his mobility aids, leaving him immobile, vulnerable and stripped of his dignity before members of the public.
"NCPWD wishes to clarify that a mobility aid is not a mere object. For a person with a physical disability, it is an extension of their body and their only means of independent movement. Its forcible removal is an act of deliberate cruelty."
The council called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to immediately investigate the conduct of the officers involved and take appropriate action.
It also urged the National Police Service to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings against the officers concerned.
Ipoa had not issued a statement on the matter by the time of going to press. Human rights activists condemned the arrest.
Mr Paul Masese, the convener of the Nakuru Civil Societies Forum, said they were closely monitoring what he termed a growing trend of police brutality against vulnerable groups.
He said the incident followed another recent case in which civil society groups were attacked by goons inside a church while reviewing a budget document that had been presented to Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury.
"It is very unfortunate that a country with such a progressive Constitution can decide to unleash terror on its innocent citizens. It is time for Kenyans to come out and defend the Constitution and save the country from the excesses of this government," said Mr Masese.
The human rights defender said they would meet next week with Mbugua and other protesters who were arrested to discuss ways of pursuing justice.
Despite everything, Mbugua insists he will continue speaking out against injustice, which is why he harbours ambitions of representing traders in Biashara Ward at the county assembly.
Mbugua was born in Kiptangwany, Gilgil, and is married with two children.
His appeal is for anyone willing to support him in pursuing justice for what he describes as his public humiliation.
"I have no problem with being arrested. My issue is how they conducted the arrest in such a humiliating manner. I feel my case should serve as a lesson to all law enforcement officers on their obligation to respect the dignity of all Kenyans," said Mr Mbugua.
"I am Kenyan despite being physically disabled, and I have the right to equally air my opinions and views," he said.
He says his only current limitation is the injuries he sustained during the arrest, which require medical attention that he cannot afford.
