Eric Omondi has been released on free bond after pleading not guilty to a charge of obstructing the operation of motor vehicles on a road.
The comedian and activist appeared before the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday alongside seven co-accused, a day after he was arrested by plain-clothes police officers while collecting signatures for his “Punguza Mzigo” referendum campaign outside the Nairobi National Archives along Moi Avenue.
His seven co-accused were each granted a Sh2,000 bond.
Omondi’s arrest came shortly after he launched a campaign seeking one million signatures in support of proposed constitutional changes aimed at reducing the cost of government and easing the tax burden on Kenyans.
The proposed reforms include reducing Kenya’s 47 counties to eight regional units and abolishing several legislative positions.
Omondi said he had already collected about 450,000 signatures during previous campaigns in Meru, Mombasa and Kakamega.
He had planned to continue the signature collection exercise at the Nairobi Archives as he worked towards reaching the one-million-signature target.
His arrest initially attracted attention because the officers who detained him were in civilian clothing. Video footage from the scene showed officers handcuffing Omondi and taking him to a waiting police vehicle. Reports at the time differed on the reason for the arrest.
Some reports said police were holding him over an alleged failure to notify authorities about a public gathering, while others said no specific reason had initially been publicly disclosed.
The matter was subsequently brought before the court, where Omondi faced the traffic obstruction charge under Section 58(c) of the Kenya Roads Act, Chapter 403 of the Laws of Kenya.
The latest case comes months after Omondi faced a similar charge following an incident in Nairobi.
In June, he was released on a personal bond of Sh100,000 after pleading not guilty to a charge of obstructing traffic along Kimathi Street. The prosecution alleged that he had offloaded 120 empty 10-litre plastic jerrycans from an Isuzu lorry, disrupting the free flow of traffic.
His lawyers Danstan Omari, Martina Swiga and Babu Owino argued against his continued detention.
Omari told the court that the jerrycans were intended for low-income Nairobi residents who relied on them to store water. The defence also argued that Omondi was not a flight risk and had a known residence in Nairobi.
Owino further challenged the circumstances of that arrest, saying Omondi had been detained while preparing to travel to Kisumu for an event. The court ultimately granted him the Sh100,000 personal bond.
The latest arrest has therefore added another legal challenge as Omondi continues to pursue his political campaign.
His “Punguza Mzigo” initiative argues that reducing the number of counties and legislative positions would reduce government expenditure and ease pressure on taxpayers. The campaign is now seeking to turn the proposal into a constitutional amendment through a signature drive.