Crime

22 February 2023

•The youths, who were demonstrating outside Parliament, demanded an audience with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.

• The police had to lob teargas canisters to disperse the group as they struggled to force their way into Parliament Buildings.

Eric Omondi and seven others are Wednesday expected in court following their arrest on Tuesday while leading demonstrations outside Parliament buildings in Nairobi.

They spent their nights in police custody ahead of the arraignment over what police termed as a public nuisance.

They were topless at the time of their protests.

Omondi was leading a group of well-built, topless young men in demonstrations, where they demanded the government to lower the cost of living.

The youths donning black shorts and bare chests had brought business around Parliament to a standstill, with onlookers milling around to watch.

The youths, who were demonstrating outside Parliament, demanded an audience with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

They then attempted to gain entry into Parliament Buildings after Wetang'ula took too long to come out and address them.

The police had to lob teargas canisters to disperse the group as they struggled to force their way into Parliament Buildings.

The police engaged the youth in running battles before they rounded up some of them.

The protests outside Parliament paralysed businesses on Parliament Road for more than 30 minutes.

Kenyans are grappling with a high cost of living which has continued to worsen with prices of goods and services increasing every day.

The police had ordered the demonstrators to disperse, but they ignored forcing cops to use teargas.

Omondi and seven others were arrested in the ensuing melee, with the police taking him to an unknown destination.

The youths were carrying placards written "high cost of living, high cost of electricity" "stima juu, taxi juu" among other publications.

It is not the first time the comedian is involved in such drama.

In February 2022, Omondi chained himself in a cube outside parliament buildings, with a bold placard written ‘Play 75 per cent'.

Then, the comedian sought the attention of parliament to debate how local music will get at least 75 per cent of airplay in the country.

He said he would be on a hunger strike and will stay there until the lawmakers debate the matter.

Earlier, in November 2021, Omondi was arrested at the same spot while he led demonstrations to compel parliament to enact laws on playing 75 per cent of Kenyan music.