At least 50 youth arrested during a security operation in Isiolo Town on Friday and Saturday were released after pleading guilty to charges of being drunk and disorderly.
The operation followed an incident in which a group of youths heckled President William Ruto during his visit to the town on Friday.
Ruto accused some of drug dealers in the town of being behind the incident.
The youth, who had been detained, appeared before Isiolo Senior Resident Magistrate Maureen Odhiambo on Monday afternoon.
The courtroom was packed with family members, friends, lawyers, and human rights activists, all in solidarity with the arrested youths.
The group pleaded guilty to the charges, and in turn, the magistrate ruled that they be discharged.
She advised them not to repeat the offense. Odhiambo said the charges were minor, and under section 35, the offenders were pardoned without a fine.
The incident leading to the arrests has sparked concerns among locals, legal professionals, and human rights advocates. Ruto’s visit to Isiolo County had been to launch development projects, but the situation took a turn when a group of youths heckled him during his address.
Lawyers said there was no prior announcement of a curfew or operation, leaving many unaware of the crackdown.
Elders in Isiolo condemned the heckling and blamed rival political groups for inciting the incident. Omar Godana, a local elder, made a public appeal for the youth to be pardoned, saying,
“The noise of the frogs does not stop the cows from drinking water. We, as elders, are sorry for what happened and ask for forgiveness on behalf of our community.”
In another related case, Shuaib Yusuf was charged with obstructing the presidential motorcade by halting his tuk-tuk along the Isiolo-Archers Post road.
He was released after paying a cash bail of 5,000 shillings.
The operation, which followed President Ruto’s visit, has sparked protests among locals.
Many in the community are calling for a more measured response to such incidents in the future.
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