NAIROBI, Kenya — Comedian and activist Eric Omondi has pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing the operation of motor vehicles on a public road, contrary to Section 58(c) of the Kenya Roads Act.
When the matter came before the court on Monday, Omondi denied the allegations and was granted a personal bond of Ksh100,000 pending further proceedings.
His legal team, led by lawyers Danstan Omari and Babu Owino, successfully urged the court to release him on favourable bond terms, arguing that the offence is bailable and that there were no compelling grounds to justify continued detention.
According to the charge sheet, Omondi is accused of unlawfully obstructing traffic on Kimathi Street in Nairobi on May 18, 2026, after allegedly offloading 120 empty 10-litre plastic jerricans from an Isuzu lorry, registration number KAR 508Y, thereby disrupting the free flow of vehicles.
The prosecution alleges that the action caused obstruction along the busy city street, prompting enforcement action against him.
However, in court, Omari defended the comedian’s actions, arguing that the jerricans were intended for distribution to residents for water storage, describing them as essential household items widely used by ordinary Kenyans.
“The accused person has political ambitions and had bought the jerricans to take to his voters. It is public knowledge that people use jerricans to fetch water,” Omari submitted, adding that the containers had since been confiscated and their intended beneficiaries left without access.
Lawyer Babu Owino further told the court that Omondi’s arrest was carried out in a manner that violated his constitutional rights, claiming he was removed from a flight before being taken into custody.
Citing Article 28 of the Constitution on human dignity, Owino argued that the arrest at an international airport was humiliating and procedurally unfair.
“The manner in which Omondi was arrested was embarrassing at an international airport. I proceeded to where Eric was detained and requested bail, but the officer in charge declined,” he told the court.
Owino also questioned the basis of the charge, arguing that traffic conditions in the city were already heavily disrupted on the day in question due to protests and other movements.
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“There was no vehicle to be obstructed on that day. Even police vehicles were parked for lack of fuel,” he submitted.
He urged the court to grant Omondi a personal bond, arguing that law enforcement resources should be prioritised for more serious offences.
The prosecution opposed the application, stating that Omondi had failed to respond to prior summons, which led to his arrest.
The case will be mentioned on July 2, 2026, for further directions.
