Human rights activists have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Tuko Kadi campaign mobiliser Allan Ademba, who was arrested on Thursday, July 16, while observing the ongoing Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
In a statement, the Defenders Coalition Kenya confirmed that Ademba was arrested at around 9 am at the AC Comprehensive School Polling Station and is being held at the Ol Kalou Police Station/DCI offices without formal processing or a clear legal basis for his arrest.
The coalition said the arrest was a direct attempt to intimidate civic actors and interfere with independent election monitoring, urging the government to stop what it termed harassment of election observers and monitors.
“Defenders Coalition strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights defender and 'Tuko Kadi' campaign mobiliser, Allans Ademba. The Defenders Coalition views this as a direct attempt to intimidate civic actors and disrupt independent election monitoring,” the lobby said.
“The State must cease the harassment of monitors/observers and release him unconditionally.”
Ademba announced his arrest through a brief statement shared on his social media platforms as voting continued in Ol Kalou under heightened security.
Before confirming his arrest, Ademba had shared photos showing him in Ol Kalou and raised concerns over voter eligibility during the by-election.
He claimed that only people who voted in the 2022 General Election were being allowed to participate in the polls, while newly registered voters were not being allowed to vote under IEBC rules.
“Ol Kalou residents have turned out in large numbers to vote. NOTE: Only those who voted in 2022 are being allowed to vote. The newly registered voters are not allowed to vote as per the IEBC Rules,” he said.
At 7:37 am, Ademba had also shared a video showing voters lining up at the AC polling station.
He did not provide further details about the arrest or explain the reason behind his detention.
By the time of publication, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS) had not issued an official statement explaining the circumstances of his arrest or whether he was expected to face any charges.
Ademba rose to national attention in March after launching the Tuko Kadi online campaign, a digital mobilisation initiative aimed at encouraging Kenyans to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
On March 17, he led hundreds of Kasarani residents to register as voters at the IEBC centre located at the D.O’s offices in Kasarani Sub-county.
Following increased support for the campaign, Ademba officially launched the Tuko Kadi movement to take the voter registration drive from online platforms to IEBC offices across the country.
He has also remained active in discussions around governance, accountability and electoral matters through public engagements and media appearances.
His arrest came as Ol Kalou remained under close political and security watch during the parliamentary by-election, where voters were choosing a new Member of Parliament following the death of David Njuguna Kiaraho.
The election attracted early voter turnout, with residents braving the cold morning weather while wearing warm jackets, Maasai shukas and hats as they arrived at polling stations.
Security agencies deployed more than 1,000 police officers across polling stations, major roads and key trading centres to maintain peace during the election.
Comments
Sign in with Google to comment, reply, and like comments.
Continue with Google