Citizen TV Journalist Odee Francis Arrested While Covering Fuel Protests in Nairobi

Citizen TV journalist Odee Francis was arrested by police on Tuesday, October 20, while covering protests against high fuel prices along Kimathi Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

According to reports, the journalist was harassed and manhandled by officers who moved in to arrest him as he covered demonstrators protesting the rising cost of fuel.

Dragged Into a Police Vehicle

Images obtained by this publication showed a group of plainclothes officers dragging Odee along Kimathi Street near the junction with Kenyatta Avenue, a few metres from Sarova Stanley Hotel, before bundling him into a waiting police Land Cruiser.

The arrest proceeded despite objections from members of the public and fellow journalists, who pleaded with the officers to release Odee on the grounds that he was working as a journalist.

Odee was also seen appealing to the officers to allow him to continue with his assignment, but the pleas appeared to go unheeded as the officers proceeded with the arrest.

Protests Against High Fuel Prices

The demonstrations were sparked by the recent sharp increase in fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which raised petrol by Ksh12.93, diesel by Ksh9.90 and kerosene by Ksh28.49 per litre.

Motorists and transport operators have expressed frustration over the rising cost of fuel, which directly affects transport costs and the prices of goods.

Concerns Over Press Freedom

The arrest of a journalist while on duty has raised concerns about press freedom and the treatment of media personnel covering public demonstrations.

The incident adds to a growing list of cases in which journalists have been harassed or arrested while carrying out their work in Kenya.