Viral Gen Z Activist ‘Mr Speaker Sir’ Charged Over Parliament Breach

Ezekiel Kyama Nzyoki, the activist known for his viral "Mr Speaker Sir" chant during the 2024 Gen Z protests, has been charged with unlawful entry and destruction of government property valued at more than Sh41 million.

Kyama appeared before the Milimani Law Courts on Monday, where prosecutors accused him of entering the Parliament precincts unlawfully on 25 June 2024. He is alleged to have damaged sections of the perimeter wall before vandalising flag posts at the mausoleum of Kenya’s founding President, Jomo Kenyatta. 

Prosecutors also claimed that kitchen equipment, television screens, ICT equipment and other government property were destroyed during the incident. The Parliamentary Service Commission estimates the total damage at Sh41,248,570.

The fourth-year Kenyatta University student denied all the charges. His defence team, led by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and lawyer Gordon Ogado, asked the court to grant favourable bond terms, arguing that Kyama is a student with limited financial resources. 

Owino also told the court that although he was present during the storming of Parliament, he did not see Kyama enter the National Assembly chambers. The court released Kyama on a personal bond of Sh100,000 with two guarantors while the case proceeds. 

His arraignment comes days after he was among more than 200 demonstrators charged with obstruction-related offences following protests marking the second anniversary of the Gen Z demonstrations. Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko paid cash bail for several of those charged.

Kyama became widely known after footage from June 2024 showed him inside the National Assembly chambers addressing the Speaker’s chair while chanting anti-government slogans. The breach of Parliament came during nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024, which the government later withdrew following sustained public opposition.

After the protests, Kyama remained out of the public eye for almost two years. He later said he had gone into hiding to avoid arrest during the crackdown on activists. He recently resurfaced, saying he was prepared to face the legal process, with his lawyers expected to challenge the charges in court.