Comedian and activist Eric Omondi has pleaded not guilty to a charge of obstructing the operation of motor vehicles on a public road contrary to Section 58(c) of the Kenya Roads Act.
According to the charge sheet, Omondi is accused of unlawfully obstructing traffic on Kimathi Street in Nairobi on May 18, 2026, by offloading 120 empty 10-litre plastic jerricans from an Isuzu lorry, registration number KAR 508Y, thereby interfering with the free flow of vehicles.
Appearing before the court, Omondi denied the charge.
His legal team, led by lawyers Danstan Omari, Babu Owino and Abner Mango, urged the court to release him on favourable bond terms, arguing that the offence is bailable and that there was no justification for continued detention.
Omari told the court that the jerricans were intended for distribution to members of the public to assist them in fetching and storing water, noting that many Kenyans rely on such containers for their daily needs.
“The accused person has political ambitions and had purchased the jerricans for distribution to his voters. It is public knowledge that many people use jerricans to fetch water. The 120 jerricans have since been confiscated and the intended beneficiaries have been deprived of them,” Omari submitted.
Lawyer Babu Owino informed the court that Eric Omondi was arrested at the airport while preparing to travel. He argued that the manner of the arrest was humiliating and violated his client’s constitutional right to dignity under Article 28 of the Constitution.
“The manner in which Omondi was arrested at an international airport was embarrassing. I personally went to where he was being held and requested that he be released on bail, but the officer in charge declined,” Owino told the court.
The lawyer also questioned the basis of the charge, arguing that the alleged incident occurred on a day when protests had already disrupted movement within the city.
“Your Honour, there was no traffic to obstruct on that day. Even police vehicles were parked for lack of fuel,” he submitted.
Owino further urged the court to release Omondi on a personal bond, arguing that law enforcement resources should be directed towards more serious criminal offences.
The prosecution opposed the application, telling the court that Omondi had previously been summoned by investigators but failed to honour the summons, necessitating his arrest. The prosecution also disputed claims that he had boarded a flight at the time of his arrest, stating that he had not yet boarded when police officers apprehended him.
After considering submissions from both sides, the court released Omondi on a personal bond of Ksh100,000.
The matter will be mentioned on June 22, 2026, for further directions.
