Activist Ademba Bailed After Ol Kalou Election Arrest
Activist Allans Ademba, known as the 'Niko Kadi' mobiliser, has been released on Sh20,000 bail after his arrest during the Ol Kalou by-election, with his camera and phone still held. He was allegedly filming without accreditation and inciting the public, though his lawyer states he was documenting a civic initiative. Ademba awaits a decision on charges from the ODPP, as human rights groups condemn state intimidation.
Activist Allans Ademba, widely recognized as the "Niko Kadi" mobiliser, has been released after posting a cash bail of Sh20,000. His arrest occurred during Thursday's Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, a development confirmed by the Defenders Coalition. Despite his release, police are still retaining Ademba's camera and mobile phone, which were confiscated at the time of his apprehension.
Ademba was detained on Thursday, July 16, at the AC Comprehensive School Polling Station and subsequently transferred to the Ol Kalou Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices. Reports indicate that his arrest stemmed from allegations of filming the electoral process without official journalistic accreditation. Additionally, police expressed concerns that his social media activity could potentially incite the public.
Melvine Thogo, Ademba's lawyer, clarified that her client was not acting as a journalist but was engaged in documenting the poll as part of the "Niko Kadi" civic initiative. This initiative aims to encourage youth to register and participate in voting. Thogo explained, "He was there following the Tuko Kadi initiative to see how the youth were being engaged in the election process and whether those they had registered were actually turning up to vote."
As of now, no formal charges have been preferred against Ademba, according to information released by the Defenders Coalition. He is scheduled to appear before the Ol Kalou Law Courts on August 3, 2026. At this appearance, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is expected to make a decision regarding potential charges. The Defenders Coalition, in a public statement on X, strongly condemned what it perceives as the state's use of harassment and intimidation tactics against rights defenders, urging security agencies to cease targeting them.
The coalition also commended the ODPP for its decision not to immediately file charges against Ademba, stating, "We commend the ODPP for taking the decision not to charge Allans over fictitious charges." Civil society groups echoed support for Ademba, maintaining that he was merely photographing outside the polling station as an independent vlogger and did not interfere with the voting process. However, some of his social media posts were indeed viewed by law enforcement as potentially inciteful.
Prior to his arrest, Ademba had been actively posting live updates from the by-election on his X account. Notably, he had made a claim that only voters who had participated in the 2022 election were being permitted to vote, while newly registered voters were allegedly turned away. The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat became vacant following the death of former MP David Njuguna Kiaraho. The by-election concluded with Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, the Democracy for Citizens Party candidate, winning with 35,440 votes. United Democratic Alliance candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah secured 5,450 votes, and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) reported a 57% voter turnout.