By Anchor Writers
Fifty-seven protestors arrested during the chaotic anti-fuel hike demonstrations that rocked Machakos this week have been released on a cash bail of KSh 5,000 each.
Their release came after a tense court session that exposed the legal battle now brewing around the mass arrests.
The protestors, swept up during Monday and Tuesday’s demonstrations linked to the matatu strike over soaring fuel prices, appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Dorcas Endoo.
They face charges of road encroachment contrary to the Traffic Act and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor.
The courtroom drama began when defense lawyer Jackson Kala (Pictured above) mounted an aggressive attempt to stop the suspects from taking plea, arguing that the charge sheets presented before court were defective and legally insufficient to sustain a conviction.
However, the court ordered them to take plea, explaining that the legality of the charges would be tacled at a later stage.
Out of the 57, thirty-five pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for what is expected to become a closely watched prosecution tied to the wider unrest witnessed in Machakos during the demonstrations.
A number of the suspects who were out on a police bond did not turn up in court and Mr Kala indicated they would take plea during the next mention.
In a significant reprieve for the accused and their families, the court reduced the initial cash bail terms from KSh 15,000 to KSh 5,000 each — a move that allowed many of the detainees to secure their release.
Another batch of suspects is out on the KSh 15,000 bail.
The magistrate directed the accused persons to return to court on June 3, 2026, for a further mention and hearing on July 2, 2026, when directions will be issued and the substantive hearing is expected to begin.
Defense lawyers also revealed that the number of arrests during the two-day demonstrations may have been far larger than initially known, estimating that at least 200 protestors were arrested across Machakos during the unrest.
The demonstrations, largely driven by anger over rising fuel costs and the ripple effects on public transport fares and the cost of living, paralysed sections of Machakos town and triggered running battles between protestors and police.
The arrests now open a new chapter in the standoff — one likely to test the balance between public order enforcement and the constitutional right to protest amid growing economic frustration among Kenyans.
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