'Niko Kadi' founder Allans Ademba is expected to be arraigned before the Ol Kalou Law Courts today after spending the night in police custody following his arrest during the parliamentary by-election on Thursday.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In an update issued on Friday, July 17, Ademba’s lawyer, Melvine Thogo, said he was arrested yesterday morning for allegedly filming the election process without a press pass and has remained in custody since then.

According to the lawyer, Ademba was arrested while taking pictures outside the polling area without interfering with voting activities.

“According to the Election Offenses Act, filming at the voting booth is prohibited, which he wasn’t doing. He was outside, just like someone trying to vlog. He wasn’t filming anything that was prohibited and wasn’t interviewing voters or interfering with the election process,” Thogo explained.

📌 What You Need to Know

Ademba had been sharing images of voters queuing at polling stations from around 7:25am, before posting on X at 8:51am: “I’ve been arrested. I am at Ol Kalou DCI.”

The post triggered public outcry, with activists and civic figures online calling for his release and demanding information about his status.

The lawyer said Ademba had travelled to Ol Kalou to observe youth participation in the election and follow whether citizens registered under the ‘Niko Kadi’ initiative were turning up to vote.

Thogo said a police officer approached Ademba and asked whether he was a journalist, after which he explained that he was a citizen observing the election process.

About 15 minutes later, five men in plain clothes arrived in a vehicle and took Ademba to Ol Kalou Police Station without a full explanation of his alleged offense.

When Ademba questioned the men, they reportedly identified themselves as officers under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke