Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has been released on a bond of KSh 1 million or a cash bail of KSh 300,000 following his arraignment at the Kahawa Law Courts on terrorism-related charges stemming from the July 7 Saba Saba protests.
Mukunji, who was arrested earlier this week in Embu, is facing the charges alongside journalist Peter Kinyanjui Wawanjiru and boda boda rider Serah Wanjiku Thiga. The three were accused of participating in or facilitating acts the State alleges were part of a coordinated attempt to incite unrest during the anti-government demonstrations.
The prosecution had requested that the suspects be detained for 14 more days to allow completion of investigations. However, the court declined the application, ruling that there were no compelling reasons to deny bail.
All three were released under similar terms and are scheduled to appear before the court on July 24, 2025 for the mention of their case.
Defense lawyers dismissed the charges as vague and overreaching, arguing that peaceful protest and association are constitutional rights. “You cannot arrest a journalist, a boda boda operator, and an elected leader for simply being in the same space during a public protest,” said one of the lawyers representing the accused.
The case is part of a growing list of arrests made following the Saba Saba demonstrations, which turned chaotic in parts of the country. Human rights groups have raised concerns over the use of anti-terrorism laws to target protestors, journalists, and opposition figures.
Supporters of the MP and civil society actors have welcomed the court’s decision, calling it a positive step for justice and due process.
