HAPPENING NOW: Drama in Nairobi CBD as Citizen TV Senior Journalist Is Arrested During Protests

Citizen TV journalist Odee Francis was arrested by police in Nairobi’s Central Business District on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, while covering demonstrations against the high cost of fuel.

Odee was reporting on the protests along Kimathi Street when plainclothes officers approached him and took him into custody. Images shared online showed the officers handling him roughly as they dragged him towards a waiting police Land Cruiser.The incident took place near the junction of Kimathi Street and Kenyatta Avenue, a few metres from the Sarova Stanley Hotel.

According to reports, members of the public and fellow journalists tried to intervene, urging the officers to release Odee and allow him to continue with his work.

However, the officers ignored the pleas and proceeded with the arrest. Footage from the scene showed the journalist asking the police to let him carry on with his assignment, but his requests appeared to go unanswered.

Odee was subsequently bundled into the waiting police vehicle and driven away from the area.

Citizen TV reported that the journalist had been covering demonstrations against rising fuel prices in Nairobi’s city centre when the incident occurred.

The protests brought together people who wanted to express their dissatisfaction with the increasing cost of fuel and its impact on the cost of living.

High fuel prices often lead to increased transport fares and higher costs of moving goods, putting additional financial pressure on households and businesses.

Police officers also confronted activists who had joined the demonstrations to oppose the rising fuel costs.

The journalist’s arrest attracted attention after images showing the incident circulated online. The footage raised concerns about the treatment of media workers while reporting on public demonstrations.

Journalists play a key role in informing the public about important events, including protests and police operations. Their ability to report freely and safely is particularly important during demonstrations, where tensions can rise quickly.

At the time of publication, the National Police Service, the Media Council of Kenya, the Kenya Editors Guild and Royal Media Services management had not issued official statements concerning Odee’s arrest.

However, the journalist was later released from Central Police Station following his brief detention.

His release came after the incident attracted attention, with images of the arrest showing the challenges journalists can face while covering protests and other public events.

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