Court releases 50 Isiolo youths detained in security swoop
The youths were released on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of being drunk and disorderly.
Fifty youths arrested in Isiolo Town during a weekend security operation were released on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of being drunk and disorderly.
The crackdown came hours after some residents heckled President William Ruto during his visit, an incident that reportedly angered him and led to swift police action.
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The arrested youth appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Maureen Odhiambo, with a packed courtroom of family members, friends, lawyers, and human rights activists standing in solidarity.
Each suspect pleaded guilty, and the magistrate ruled they be discharged, warning them against repeating the offence.
Odhiambo noted that the charges were minor and pardoned them under Section 35, without imposing fines.
Sparked outrage
However, the arrests sparked outrage among residents and human rights groups, who accused authorities of retaliatory action rather than legitimate law enforcement.
Locals described chaotic scenes where individuals were allegedly rounded up indiscriminately.
Residents like Khadija Abdi expressed disappointment, saying innocent people suffered for an incident involving only a few individuals.
"We welcomed the President peacefully. Why should the actions of a few lead to the suffering of so many?"The President even called us drunkards. We want him to come back and apologize," she said.
Some of the arrested youths appearing before Senior Resident Magistrate Maureen Odhiambo in court, Isiolo County on February10, 2025.
Hadija said her relatives were taken into custody while simply trying to get a motorcycle ride home.
"They were just stopped and told to board a lorry. I believe the President's anger triggered the operation," she said, calling the arrests an overreaction.
She suggested dialogue with local leaders would have been a better approach.
Paralegal officer Diana Gatwiri also criticized the manner of the crackdown.
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"There was no announcement, no warning. People were just picked up without explanation," she said.
While some elders in Isiolo condemned the heckling and blamed political rivalries for fueling the tension, they also pleaded for leniency. Omar Godana, a local elder, urged for reconciliation.
"The noise of the frogs does not stop the cows from drinking water. We, as elders, are sorry for what happened and ask for forgiveness on behalf of our community," he said.
Obstruction charge
In a related case, Shuaib Yusuf was charged with obstructing the presidential motorcade by stopping his tuk-tuk along the Isiolo-Archers Post road.
He was released on a cash bail of Sh5,000.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding defended the crackdown, saying it was part of a broader operation targeting drug peddlers in Isiolo and Marsabit counties.
"The youth who heckled leaders embarrassed the county leadership. The situation is linked to the rising drug and substance abuse in Isiolo," Omoding said. He further alleged that drugs were being smuggled into Isiolo through remote routes from Ethiopia.
However, human rights activists dismissed the explanation, accusing the government of using the crackdown to intimidate residents.
Thuo Kinyanjui, the National Commission on Human Rights Isiolo County coordinator, condemned the arrests.
"This was pure harassment. We have received complaints that at least 17 motorcycles were also confiscated. Why take away motorcycles? It was all meant to intimidate the youth," he said.
Other activists questioned the validity of the charges, arguing that those arrested were never tested for intoxication.
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