Citizen TV reporter Francis Odee was arrested by police on Tuesday while covering demonstrations against rising fuel prices along Kimathi Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

According to Citizen Digital, Odee was on assignment reporting on the protests when officers reportedly roughed him up and bundled him into a police vehicle.

He was taken to Central Police Station, where he was held briefly alongside other activists before being released from custody.

The arrest prompted protests from members of the public and fellow journalists, who appealed to officers to recognise Odee was performing his professional duties.

The Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) condemned the incident, with Chairperson Joseph Muraya stating that a journalist covering a public event should not be arrested or physically harmed.

Muraya cited Article 34(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees media freedom, and Article 34(2), which bars state interference with information dissemination, calling for an independent investigation into the arrest and alleged assault.

CJAK also urged the National Police Service and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to determine the grounds for Odee’s arrest, document what occurred in custody, and hold any officer who violated the law accountable.

The incident unfolded amid growing public discontent over fuel‑price hikes, which have heightened pressure on households, businesses and transport operators across Kenya.