Sauti Sol’s Bien-Aimé Baraza, currently on a world tour in London, has joined the growing chorus of voices condemning police brutality and government excesses in Kenya during the Saba Saba protests.
In a powerful moment captured on video, Bien paused his performance to speak directly to his audience about the situation back home, his voice filled with emotion.
“We have lost lives in the protests today,” he told the world. “Young people are being killed for demanding a better future.”
The crowd, many of them Kenyans in the diaspora, responded with thunderous applause and joined him in anti-government chants — a passionate display of solidarity from across borders. Bien then led the crowd in a call-and-response: “Ruto Must Go!” — the now-famous rallying cry of the Gen Z movement currently sweeping across Kenya.
The singer’s bold stand has since gone viral, with fans and fellow artists applauding him for using his platform to bring international attention to the crisis in Kenya. Many see Bien’s actions as proof that the fight for justice is no longer confined within national borders.
Back home, Saba Saba demonstrations have rocked Nairobi and other counties, leaving destruction and death in their wake. At least 11 people were reported dead, with several others nursing injuries after confrontations with police.
Bien’s message to the world was clear: the struggle for Kenya’s freedom and dignity is everyone’s business.
“Our voices are loud. And now, they echo across continents,” Bien said.
As the protests continue and the world takes notice, Kenya’s youth now know — they’re not alone. Even from the global stage, their cry for justice is being heard.
By Nairobi