Up-and-coming artist Donald Matiri found himself in a high-stakes standoff with unidentified police officers camped outside his Rongai residence from 7 AM on Tuesday, June 24. Documenting the unfolding drama on X (formerly Twitter), Matiri shared a series of short videos, showcasing plain-clothed officers repeatedly attempting to coax him into opening his door for an undisclosed reason. This incident, just a day before the poignant anniversary of the June 25, 2024, #RejectFinanceBill protests, has quickly drawn national attention and amplified concerns about police conduct and civic freedoms.
Matiri, remaining steadfast behind his closed door, can be heard in the videos demanding that the officers clearly identify themselves and state the precise purpose of their unexpected early morning visit. In one clip, an officer, conspicuously draped in a Maasai shuka, leans against Matiri's door, engaging in a verbal exchange that yields little progress.
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"Tell me what you want so I may help you," Matiri asserts to the officers, demonstrating remarkable composure. "What's your name? Show your identification so the camera can record it. Display it properly so my camera can capture it. You're a public officer. What do you want?"
After identifying himself only as "Collins," the officer briefly flashes his identity card before reiterating his demand for Matiri to open the door. "Fungua kwanza" (Open first), he insists, to which Matiri defiantly replies, "Hio haiwezekani" (That's not possible). In another video, a different officer, this time in military-style jungle fatigue and a bucket hat, presses his face against the door, his pleas for Matiri to open proving equally futile.
"Show me a court order. For me to open my door, I need a court order. What is the reason for coming to my house?" Matiri firmly requests, exercising his constitutional rights. The exasperated officer, in a moment of apparent frustration, retorts, "It's very simple: You just tell us, 'I'm not opening the door.'" Matiri's defiant response: "That's fine. I'm not opening the door!"
Matiri's real-time documentation on X has become a sustained public campaign, with him tagging various influential figures and activists and emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "Guys, there are officers outside my house! If you see this, repost. This is not a drill. They are still outside my house...," he wrote, generating immediate solidarity from his online community. Responses like Hanifa Adan's, "Police officers are outside Donald Matiri’s house trying to arrest him!! What do you even want with someone at 6am!!! If anything happens to Donald, @NPSOfficial_KE you will pay!!" and "Please do not open the door!" underscore the public's concern and distrust.
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As of now, the specific reason for the police's pursuit of Matiri remains unclear, and he himself asserts he is unaware of any crime he might have committed to warrant such an early morning raid. This incident is particularly significant given its timing, occurring just one day before June 25 – a date etched into the national consciousness as Kenyans prepare to take to the streets in remembrance of the lives tragically lost during last year's historic march against the Ruto administration and the Finance Bill. The lack of transparent identification and a valid court order by the officers involved raises serious questions about adherence to due process and the potential for intimidation, casting a long shadow over the upcoming demonstrations and the state of civic freedoms in Kenya.
