The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has demanded an independent investigation into the alleged assault and arrest of Citizen TV journalist Francis Odee by plainclothes police officers while covering protests against rising fuel prices in Nairobi.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the commission condemned the incident, which occurred along Kimathi Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday, October 20, insisting that Odee’s release from custody should not end efforts to establish accountability.
The demand comes as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) investigates seven police officers over their alleged involvement in the journalist’s arrest. The authority intends to summon officers, including Central Police Station Officer Commanding Police Division Patrick Gogo, to explain their roles in the incident.
Odee was covering demonstrations against increased fuel prices when police officers moved to arrest protesters. Reports indicate that plainclothes officers apprehended the journalist despite his attempts to identify himself as a media professional on assignment.
He was taken to Central Police Station, where he was briefly detained before being released without charges. Odee subsequently filed a complaint with IPOA over his arrest and alleged mistreatment.
KNCHR called on IPOA to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation, while urging Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja to preserve evidence, cooperate with oversight bodies and ensure accountability wherever wrongdoing is established.
The commission specifically called for the preservation of relevant video footage, police deployment records, arrest documentation and custody records that could help investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
It also urged the National Police Service to ensure that officers found responsible for misconduct face appropriate disciplinary action or prosecution where warranted.
In its statement, KNCHR cited Articles 29, 34, 37 and 49 of the Constitution of Kenya, which protect personal liberty, media freedom, peaceful assembly and the rights of arrested persons.
The commission also invoked Article 244(c), which requires the National Police Service to comply with constitutional standards and uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms in the performance of its duties.
KNCHR further referenced the High Court judgment in Law Society of Kenya v Kithinji & 5 others [2025] KEHC 7957 (KLR), which affirmed that police officers policing public assemblies must wear uniforms and remain identifiable.
The commission said these safeguards were important in ensuring accountability during public demonstrations, when journalists document events and police officers carry out security operations.
The arrest has also drawn condemnation from the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), which have called for investigations and greater protection for journalists covering demonstrations.
KEG President Zubeidah Kananu said Odee was manhandled despite being identifiable as an accredited media professional, while CJAK Chairperson Joseph Muraya maintained that journalists should not face physical harm or arrest for performing their professional duties.
The protests followed the latest increase in petroleum prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which raised concerns over the cost of transport and other goods and services.
KNCHR warned that the responsibility of maintaining public order must not undermine constitutional freedoms.
“Protecting public order must never become a pretext for suppressing peaceful dissent or media freedom,” the commission stated.
The outcome of IPOA’s investigation will be central to establishing the circumstances of Odee’s arrest and determining whether any officers should face disciplinary or criminal proceedings.
