Over 90 Gen Z protesters charged with traffic offences

 

Embakasi East Mp Babu Owino and Former LSK president Faith Odhiambo and Siaya Governor James Orengo at the milimani courts where youths who were arrested on Thursday 25th June 2026 Gen z commemoration day are expected to be arraigned. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Over 90 protesters arrested during Thursday's Gen Z anniversary demonstrations in Nairobi have been arraigned at Milimani Law Court.

The protesters were arraigned on Friday before the Milimani Law Courts and charged with obstructing motor vehicles on public roads.

The protesters, who appeared before Magistrate Teresia Nyangena, faced three traffic-related offences levelled against them by the office of the DPP.

The accused comprise 58 suspects from Shauri Moyo Police Station, 46 from Industrial Area Police Station, 30 from Dagoretti Police Station and 12 from Kamukunji Police Station.

However, suspects being held at Nairobi Central Police Station had not been arraigned by the time court proceedings began.

According to the charge sheets presented in court, the accused were charged with obstructing motor vehicles on roads contrary to Section 58(c) of the Kenya Roads Act, 2007.

Some of the youths who were arrested during second anniversary of Gen Z protests arraigned ta Milimani Law Court on June 26, 2026. [David Gichuru, Standard]

The prosecution alleges that on June 25, 2026, at around noon, along Landhies Road in Kamukunji Sub-County, the accused, jointly with others not before the court, unlawfully obstructed motor vehicles by heaping stones and burning tyres on the road, thereby causing obstruction to road users.

"On the 25th day of June, 2026, at around 1200hrs along Landhies Road in Kamukunji Sub-County within Nairobi County, jointly with others not before the court, you unlawfully obstructed motor vehicles on the road by heaping stones and burning tyres on the said road, thereby causing obstruction to road users in contravention of the said Act," the charge sheet states.

Separate charge sheets filed against other groups of accused from Kamukunji Police Station allege that they unlawfully obstructed the operation of motor vehicles by assembling along sections of Landhies Road and the Landhies roundabout during the demonstrations.

The prosecution indicated that the accused were arrested on June 25 and remained in police custody before being presented in court on Friday.

Among those charged in the Shauri Moyo file are Gideon Odero, Shabah Achieng, Charles Tembo, Geoffrey Momanyi, Gerald Kinoti, James Ndugu, Paul Busuru, Alex Kilonzo, Abdi Ibrahim, Khalid Mohamed and several others.

The court proceedings attracted a strong legal team representing the protesters, led by former Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo, Senior Counsel James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

Some of the youths who were arrested during second anniversary of Gen Z protests arraigned ta Milimani Law Court on June 26, 2026. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Speaking outside the court, Odhiambo said more than 190 protesters arrested and detained at Nairobi Central and Kamukunji police stations were expected to face traffic-related charges.

"More than 190 protesters arrested and held at Nairobi Central and Kamukunji police stations are expected to be charged with traffic-related offences," she said.

Odhiambo added that about 58 suspects had already been brought to the court precincts, while they were still awaiting the transfer of more than 80 others from Nairobi Central Police Station.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko also attended the proceedings in solidarity with the protesters and pledged to pay bail or fines for those who would be unable to raise the required amounts.

The proceedings are currently ongoing.