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Citizen TV Journalist Francis Odee Freed After Arrest During Nairobi Fuel Price Protests

Citizen TV journalist Francis Odee has been released from police custody following his arrest while covering demonstrations against rising fuel prices in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday.

Odee was reporting along Kimathi Street when police officers reportedly roughed him up before bundling him into a police vehicle alongside protesters.

According to Citizen Digital, the journalist was covering Kenyans expressing frustration over increasing fuel prices and the growing cost of living.

His arrest sparked protests from members of the public and fellow journalists, who urged officers to recognise that Odee was performing his professional duties.

Footage shared by The Eastleigh Voice captured members of the public questioning police officers over the journalist’s arrest and demanding his release.

Odee was briefly detained at Central Police Station alongside other activists before authorities released him.

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The incident has renewed concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists covering demonstrations, particularly when tensions escalate between protesters and security officers.

The Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK), of which Odee is a member, condemned the incident and demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his arrest and alleged assault.

CJAK Chairperson Joseph Muraya welcomed Odee’s release but maintained that releasing him was not enough to address the incident.

“Odee’s release is welcome, but release alone is not accountability,” Muraya said.

He cited Article 34 of the Constitution of Kenya, which protects media freedom and safeguards the independence of journalists and other media practitioners.

The association called on the National Police Service and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to establish the grounds for Odee’s arrest, investigate his treatment while in custody and identify officers who may have engaged in misconduct.

Muraya insisted that officers found to have violated the law should face accountability, adding that maintaining public order does not justify intimidation or violence against journalists.

Meanwhile, the protests highlighted growing public frustration over fuel prices, which affect transport costs, household budgets and business operations.

The incident has intensified calls for journalists to be allowed to cover public demonstrations safely and without interference while informing Kenyans about matters of national interest.