Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga has condemned the arrest of comedian Eric Omondi who led a group of young people to demonstrate outside Parliament buildings on Tuesday to protest the high cost of living in the country.
Speaking at Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi on Wednesday, the opposition chief criticized the action of the police, saying the Kenyan constitution allows members of the public to hold peaceful protests in any part of the country.
Raila said President William Ruto's administration should allow Kenyans to express themselves without harassment by the police.
"We want to tell Ruto and his people that peaceful demonstrations are allowed. Peaceful demonstrations are done in front of the House of Commons in the UK, are done in front of the White House and Congress in the US," Raila said.
"Peaceful demonstrations are allowed and protected. Demonstrators are protected by the police," he added.
At the same time, Raila issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to lower prices of basic commodities and taxes failure to which the opposition will call for mass protests across the country to force the Kenya Kwanza administration to take action.
Omondi was leading a group of well-built, shirtless young men in demonstrations, where they demanded the government to lower the cost of living.
The protesters held placards with writings showing the expensive prices of commodities including maize flour and electricity.
“Unga juu, mafuta juu. Stima juu, taxi juu” the placards read.
It wasn't long before he is seen engaging in an altercation while resisting police officers before they hurled him up into the police car.
The police had ordered the demonstrators to disperse, but they ignored forcing cops to use teargas.
Omondi and 16 other youths arrested during the protests were arraigned at Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday and charged with holding unlawful assembly.
The accused persons denied the charge and were each freed on a bond of Ksh20,000 or a cash bail of Ksh10,000.
