By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
The Orange Democratic Movement Party has demanded for the unconditional release of detained protesters who were arrested on Thursday during anti-government protests.
In a Press release by the ODM Party on Friday 9th August 2024 they said that at least 70 persons were arrested in the demonstrations and noted that some of the arrested demonstrators were persons with disability.
The ODM Party said that it is a constitutional right for citizens of Kenya to demonstrate peaceful, assemble and picket.
“The Freedom of Expression is embedded in the Constitution of Kenya. Public picketing and demonstration are requirements under Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Therefore, Kenyans are allowed to picket and assemble to present petitions to government institutions on what they feel it is not done right, put their demands to government and make their case heard,” reads the statement.
The Opposition Party further demanded for the release of all arrested demonstrators without conditions and allowed to be free.
“The ODM party is asking for the unconditional release of the over seventy Kenyans who were arrested yesterday during the public protests in Nairobi and other parts of the country,” ODM stated in the statement.
“The majority of them are being held at the Central Police Station in Nairobi. It is worth noting that some of these arrested are persons living with disability (PWDs). We call on the relevant authorities to release them immediately,” The ODM Party added.
This happened on Thursday 8th August 2024 during the ‘Nane Nane’ anti-government demonstrations that was planned by the youthful Gen Z’s of Kenya.
Kenya Police Service barricaded all the roads leading to the city of Nairobi with road blocks to deny protesters a chance to assemble for their protest.
The Service through the acting Inspector General acknowledged that they have arrested 176 protesters across the country with Nairobi having the highest number of 126 people arrested.
Several people were also injured during the demos as they engage running battles with anti-riot police officers in the streets of Nairobi.