A total of 220 suspects arrested during anti-fuel price protest s in Nairobi were on Tuesday arraigned before Magistrate Victor Wakumile at the Kibera Law Courts and charged with obstructing traffic by barricading roads within the Central Business District.
According to the charge sheet presented before the court, the accused persons allegedly barricaded Moi Avenue on May 18, disrupting the movement and operation of motor vehicles along the busy Nairobi road during demonstrations against the rising cost of fuel and the high cost of living.
The suspects, who were arrested in different parts of Nairobi during the protests, included several minors. The demonstrations erupted after the latest increase in fuel prices triggered public outrage among Kenyans already struggling with the soaring cost of basic commodities, transport fares, and other essential services.
The prosecution accused the demonstrators of unlawfully blocking roads and causing disruption within the city centre. However, all the accused persons denied the charges when they appeared before court.
The suspects were represented by a team of lawyers led by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who strongly defended the protesters and termed the arrests an attack on constitutional freedoms and democratic expression.
Addressing the court, Babu Owino argued that the demonstrators were peacefully exercising their constitutional right to picket and demand better living conditions from the government. According to the legislator, the only “mistake” committed by the protesters was standing up to fight for their rights amid the worsening economic situation facing ordinary Kenyans.
The MP further criticized the state of governance in the country, telling the court that Kenya had reached a point where citizens risk arrest whether they obey the law or not. His remarks reflected growing public frustration over the government’s handling of the economy and increasing concerns about the suppression of dissent during public demonstrations.
The protests come amid mounting pressure on the government following repeated fuel price adjustments that have significantly increased the cost of transport and commodities across the country. Civil rights groups and opposition leaders have in recent months accused authorities of using arrests and intimidation to silence critics participating in demonstrations over the rising cost of living.
After hearing submissions from both the defence and prosecution, the court ordered the release of each of the 220 suspects on a cash bail of Sh5,000 pending the hearing and determination of the case.
