By Bonface Mulyungi
A total of 220 suspects arrested during Monday’s fuel price hike protests were on Tuesday afternoon arraigned before the Kibera Law Courts facing charges of obstructing traffic by barricading roads within Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons are alleged to have unlawfully barricaded Moi Avenue, thereby obstructing the movement and operation of motor vehicles along the busy road.
The suspects were rounded up during demonstrations held in different parts of Nairobi as protesters took to the streets to oppose the rising cost of fuel and the high cost of living. Some of the accused persons are minors.
The accused persons, represented by a team of lawyers led by Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino among others, all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court released each of the suspects on a cash bail of Ksh.5,000 pending further directions on the case.
Their arraignment followed Monday’s fuel price protests that saw demonstrations spread across Nairobi and other parts of the country, with Kenyans demanding a reduction in fuel prices and the high cost of living.
During the protests, Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud announced that at least 225 people had been arrested, accusing demonstrators of engaging in unlawful activities including blocking roads and disrupting business operations within the capital.
Police also reported that several vehicles were vandalised and several officers injured during running battles with protesters in parts of Nairobi’s CBD.
The protests were triggered by the latest fuel price adjustments announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which initially increased the prices of Super Petrol and Diesel before later revising the diesel price downward in a mid-cycle review following public uproar.
Under the revised prices, Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene are retailing at Ksh.214.25, Ksh.232.86 and Ksh.191.38 per litre, respectively.
The strike by public transport sector operators has however since been called off for the next seven days to pave way for negotiations with the government.
