A total of 220 suspects arrested during Monday’s fuel price protests were on Tuesday arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts, where they faced charges of obstructing traffic within Nairobi’s central business district.
According to the charge sheet, the accused are alleged to have barricaded Moi Avenue, disrupting the flow and operation of vehicles along the busy thoroughfare.
The group, rounded up during Monday’s demonstrations, pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing traffic. Prosecutors told the court the accused had barricaded key roads in the city centre.
The arrests came after protests swept across Nairobi and other towns, as frustration over rising fuel costs spilled into the streets. Some of those charged are minors, raising fresh questions about how the demonstrations unfolded and who took part.
In court, the defence team led by Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino, argued that the arrests were sweeping and indiscriminate. The accused, they said, had a right to protest.
Outside, relatives waited quietly for news. A mother of one of the suspects, who declined to be named, said she had spent the night trying to locate her son.
“We just want them home,” she said.
Police, however, painted a different picture. Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said more than 225 people had been arrested, accusing some demonstrators of engaging in unlawful acts, including blocking roads and disrupting businesses.
Officers reported damage to vehicles and injuries among police during clashes in parts of the central business district. The scenes, witnesses said, were tense, with running battles between protesters and security forces.
The unrest was triggered by the latest fuel price adjustments announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. Initial increases in petrol and diesel prices drew swift public anger, prompting a partial review that lowered diesel costs. Still, many Kenyans say the relief has been too little.
Under the revised rates, petrol now sells at Sh214.25 per litre, diesel at Sh232.86 and kerosene at Sh191.38.
For many households, the impact is immediate. Transport costs have risen, pushing up the price of basic goods. “Everything is going up,” said a trader in the city centre. “We are just trying to survive.”
A strike by public transport operators, which had paralysed movement in several areas, has since been suspended for seven days to allow talks with the government. Whether those negotiations will ease tensions remains uncertain.
Back at the courts, the accused stepped out one by one after meeting bail terms. Their case will return to court in the coming weeks, even as the broader debate over fuel prices and the cost of living continues to simmer. By day’s end, all had been released on a cash bail of Sh5,000 each.
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