Comedian-turned-activist Eric Omondi was dramatically arrested by plainclothes police officers in Nairobi’s Central Business District while leading a public signature collection drive.
The incident occurred outside the Kenya National Archives along Moi Avenue, where Omondi had pitched camp to launch the Nairobi chapter of his “Punguza Mzigo” initiative.
The campaign seeks to gather 1 million signatures to back a constitutional referendum proposal aimed at slashing Kenya’s 47 counties down to just eight regional units.
Footage circulating widely on social media showed the mood shifting rapidly as several men in civilian clothing surrounded the activist on the pavement.
Officers handcuffed Omondi amidst a growing crowd of onlookers before whisking him into a police vehicle, leaving supporters and bystanders demanding answers.
Omondi’s campaign centers on the argument that Kenya’s current devolved structure is financially unsustainable for ordinary taxpayers.
Eric Omondi arrested in Nairobi CBD while collecting signatures to reduce counties to 8 – K24 DigitalIn addition to merging counties, his proposal advocates scrapping key political offices, including Senate and Woman Representative positions, to trim the public wage bill and redirect funds toward essential services such as healthcare and public education.
Prior to his detention in the capital, Omondi claimed his team had already gathered over 430,000 signatures during previous stops in Kakamega, Meru, and Mombasa.
He had announced plans to maintain a presence at the National Archives throughout the week to reach the target required to initiate constitutional amendment proceedings.
Law enforcement authorities have not yet issued an official statement specifying the legal grounds for Omondi’s arrest or where he is currently being held.
The crackdown has sparked intense debate across online platforms, with critics questioning whether the intervention constitutes an unnecessary restriction on public gathering and constitutional expression.