Kenyan opposition politician Omtatah among protesters arrested by Kenyan police

Kenyan senator Okiya Omtatah was arrested by police during a protest

Kenyan lawmaker Andrew Okiya Omtatah was among protested arrested by the Kenyan Police during a protest on New Year’s eve against growing cases of police abductions in the country.

Omtatah has since been freed and a high court in the East African nation rejected an application by the police to further detain the Busia County parliamentary representative.

Senator Omtatah had joined hundreds of peaceful protesters on the streets of Nairobi who were shouting and protesting against the government’s counter-criticism measures of abducting protesters.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights on Thursday raised concern over a growing number of alleged kidnappings of government critics, saying that the total number of such cases stands at 82 since the anti-government protests in June.

Kenya President William Ruto admitted that the Kenyan Police force have abused human rights in their measures to clam down on the protesters.

On Monday, December 31, 2024, Omtatah filed a case at the High Court in Nairobi seeking to compel the government to free seven youths, accusing the police of abducting them.