Human rights activists, journalist arrested during fuel cost demos

Citizen TV journalist Francis Ode is arrested while covering fuel protests along Kimathi street in Nairobi on October 20, 2026. [Boniface Okendo, Standard

Two human rights activists, a journalist and a street boy were arrested on Tuesday in Nairobi during cost-of-fuel demonstrations in Nairobi.

 Citizen TV’s security and crime journalist Francis Ode was arrested as police mistook him for a protester.

According to the convener Elisha Alam, they were mobilising demonstrators when police started interfering with the exercise before making arrests.

The activists condemned the arrests of their members and the journalist, saying the police took action despite having notified them through a letter which was signed and stamped.

“We were not able to continue with demonstrations because the police presence was heavy and even before we could start, police started causing chaos and arrested two activists including Julius Kamau, Michael Ngige, a street boy and journalist Ode Francis,” said Alam, a human rights activist who

He added: “We are still following up to see whether the three will be released or will be taken to court tomorrow(Wednesday). Activists and journalists are the last line of defence . When you see a State trying to cross the Rubicon, catching and abducting activists and now to the point of not disobeying the press freedom to appoint of arresting a journalist despite identifying himself, then we are heading to the worst state as a country.”

On October 14, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced new maximum retail fuel prices for the period starting October 15, 2026 to November 14, 2026.

New pump prices in Nairobi for super petrol are now Sh 226.96 per litre (an increase of Sh 12.93), diesel is Sh 227.76 per litre (an increase of Sh 9.90) and kerosene is at Sh 219.85, which is an increase of Sh 28.49, a move which has angered many Kenyans who are already feeling the pinch of high cost of living.

Alam said they will again demonstrate next week Monday and called upon more Kenyans who have been hard hit with high cost of living to show up to show the government that they need relief.

The journalist was arrested and pushed into a police vehicle and mishandled by plainclothes police officers while covering the demonstration in the Central Business District and attempts to tell and show them that he was a journalist fell on deaf ears.

The four were bundled into a waiting police vehicle and taken to Central Police Station but the journalist was later released after intervention of  Central Police Station Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD)Patrick Gogo.

“I was covering the demonstration when I saw the activists starting to flee and I saw a police officer in uniform who came to me and said, ' Arrest this also. I tried to shout that I am a journalist but they didn’t hear that and arrested four of us without even identifying themselves,” said Ode.

He added: “We reached here while struggling with them; they mishandled me and tore my shirt, managed to take me in by force and put me at the holding bay. I was afraid because the same cell that the late teacher Albert Ojwang was put in because I covered the story of his death was the one I was being taken and I feared the same incident might happen to me but I thank Mr Gogo who intervened and I was released.”

Ode, who said his finger was injured due to the struggle, thanked fellow journalists who followed the arrest incident up to the police station to ensure he is released.

“If a journalist identifies himself and is still arrested, then press freedom as guaranteed in Article 35 will not be enjoyed by him or her,” said Ode.

 Mr Gogo, who addressed the media outside the station gate, organised for the purchase of a new shirt for Ode and promised to investigate the incident and take necessary action.

 “Since today was Mashujaa Day and there are countrywide celebrations, we could not allow any other demonstration in the city. Around 11am to 12pm, there was news that there is a demonstration and we took action to arrest those involved,” said Gogo.

He added: “During the demonstration, a journalist Francis Ode was available in the fracas and arrested and I intervened and he has been released. I was not there during the arrest but I will follow to know why he was arrested but remember anybody can make a mistake. Maybe the activists got the letter but didn’t bring to me but kept it in their pockets.”