Comedian-turned-activist Eric Omondi was arrested by plainclothes police officers in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Monday morning. The arrest took place near the Kenya National Archives, where Omondi was leading a public signature collection drive for his “Punguza Mzigo” campaign.
The constitutional referendum initiative aims to reduce the number of Kenya’s counties from 47 down to 8 regional units, mirroring the country’s former provincial boundaries. Omondi argues that downsizing local administration and scrapping several political seats—including senators and Women Representatives—will cut government expenditure and free up funds for public services like education.
Prior to his arrest, Omondi urged the public via social media to support the cause, stating that his team intended to pitch camp at the Archives through Friday to reach their target of 1 million signatures. He claimed the campaign had already gathered over 430,000 signatures in regions across the country, including Kakamega, Meru, and Mombasa.
Video footage circulated on social media showed officers handcuffing Omondi amidst a crowd of onlookers before whisking him away. Authorities have not yet issued an official statement outlining the specific grounds for his detention.
