Govt slammed over harsh bail terms for arrested protesters
Lawyer and political commentator Willis Otieno has condemned the government over what he terms as punitive bail amounts being imposed on Gen Z protesters arrested during the recent demonstrations.
In a strongly worded statement shared on his X account on Saturday, July 12, 2025, Otieno accused the justice system of being weaponised to suppress dissent and punish those speaking out against the regime.
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“They have turned courtrooms into weapons. They have made bail a ransom for conscience. They have fed starving protestors to a legal machine that no longer pretends to care about justice. They have watched young Kenyans collapse from hunger and still said, ‘Ksh 50,000 or rot,’” Otieno said.
He further accused the judiciary of abandoning its constitutional duty and siding with those in power.
“They have abandoned the Constitution, betrayed their oath, and chosen comfort over courage. They have joined the regime in crushing dissent,” he added.
Otieno’s remarks come at a time when many young protesters arrested during the recent nationwide demos are struggling to secure their release due to high bail amounts set by the courts.
Gachagua appeal
Meanwhile, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has pledged support for the affected youth and called on the Kenyan diaspora to assist with raising bail money.
Speaking during an engagement with Kenyans living in Seattle, USA, on Friday, July 11, 2025, Gachagua said the burden of bail was too heavy for many of the Gen Z protesters to bear.
“We will also be appealing to the diaspora chapter to chip in in terms of cash bails for the arrested Gen Z. There were some four young men in Nyahururu in Olkalau who were given a cash bail of Ksh10 million each because they were charged with terrorism,” he said.
He acknowledged that some charges levelled against the youth were too harsh and financially crippling for ordinary families to handle.
To help bridge the gap, Gachagua announced that a group of seasoned legal experts from the opposition were already offering pro bono legal services to those affected.
“In the meantime, we have a team of lawyers offering pro bono legal services to Gen Z, affected communities and agencies. Senior counsels Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa are giving legal services to our young people, especially those dealing with serious issues like terrorism-related charges,” Gachagua stated.
He also revealed that the opposition had set up a special body to look into issues around justice and fairness in the current legal system.
“We, the opposition, have formed a Commission on Restorative Justice, under the former Justice Justine Muturi, which is actively reviewing issues, including the composition of the justice administration system. We are working on it,” he added.
