Faith Odhiambo’s Chief of Staff Ernest Nyerere arrested by police
Key takeaways
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- Faith Mony Odhiambo is the President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
- She was elected as the 51st and second female president of the society after Raychelle Omamo, who served from 2001 to 2003.
- Faith Odhiambo has been a familiar figure in the recent #RejectFinanceBill2024 demos.
- The top city lawyer has consistently decried poor police conduct and handling of peaceful protesters.
- Her Chief of Staff has been allegedly taken into custody under unclear circumstances by individuals believed to be from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Also read: “Don’t talk to me rubbish” – MP Toto adamant after voting “Yes” to Finance Bill
Ernest Nyerere’s arrest linked to Faith Odhiambo’s condemnation of illegal police abductions
Ernest Nyerere’s arrest is the latest development rocking Kenya’s cyberspace.
His arrest comes as Kenyans of goodwill and lawyers scramble to secure the release of others already in police custody.
Earlier reports on the X platform had suggested that the LSK President was arrested.
The fears were quickly allayed when it emerged that her Chief of Staff had been allegedly taken away from his house by armed officers.
As #FreeNyerere posters spread across social media, there is widespread speculation that his arrest is a response to Faith’s strong stance against the ongoing illegal abductions of protestors by the police.
Alarming police abductions of perceived protest organizers
Kenyan security operatives have had a busy past few days as they raced against time to arrest different individuals perceived to be mobilizing protesters.
The government has turned to dramatic abductions of activists and social media influencers to contain the raging protests against the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
Among the high-profile individuals who are being held by the state so far include:
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- Ernest Nyerere – Chief of Staff to LSK President
- Twitter (X) bigwig Gabriel Oguda
- Twitter (X) bigwig Drey Mwangi
- Popular banker Shad Khalif
- Twitter (X) bigwig Osama Otero
“Good Morning Kenya. Where is Crazy Nairobian?”
Faith Odhiambo recently appeared on camera with the popular tweep Billy The Goat alias Crazy Nairobian.
The Twitter bigwig had been arrested for his tweets regarding the current protests.
His arrest led to one of the biggest Twitter (X) conversations in history, attended by 1.2 million participants.
The Twitter talk space was convened by top Kenyans on X Osama Otero and Eric Amunga (Amerix), among others.
In the space, Kenyans angrily expressed displeasure on the Finance Bill 2024 and the general state of the nation.
Kenyan government figures who attempted to listen in were not spared as they were harshly criticized.
Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Blogger Dennis Itumbi, and President William Ruto fled the Space after intense criticism.
Faith Odhiambo secures release of Crazy Nairobian
LSK bigshot Faith Odhiambo would later appear at least 24 hours later with Crazy Nairobian, breaking the news that he is free.
The 42-second video was a victory lap for the Law Society, an organization that has secured the releases of numerous detainees since protests began.
Also read: Comedian Butita under fire from netizens low-key supporting the Finance Bill 2024
Faith Odhiambo’s legal brigade goes for rogue police officers
As police abductions increase in the wave of protests, LSK has organized lawyers to offer free legal services to protesters caught up in illegal arrests and detention.
The LSK alongside popular Twitter handles have also doubled down their efforts to secure the release of abductees like Shad Khalif and Mr. Nyerere.
The LSK under President Faith’s leadership has also disclosed that all incidents of police brutality and other illegal actions are being recorded for legal action against perpetrators.
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