Kenyan comedian and activist Eric Omondi was arrested in Nairobi’s Central Business District while collecting signatures in support of his “Punguza Mzigo” initiative.
The incident unfolded outside the National Archives, where Omondi and his team had set up to rally support for constitutional reforms aimed at reducing the number of counties, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs).
Plainclothes officers confronted Omondi, handcuffing him before bundling him into a waiting vehicle. Authorities accused him of conducting an illegal public gathering without notifying the police.
Eric Omondi initiative “Punguza Mzigo,” seeks to radically restructure Kenya’s governance system, including reducing counties from 47 to 8, aligned with former provincial boundaries, and reduce government expenditure. He argues eliminating some administrative and political positions would free up resources for essential public services.
According to Omondi, the campaign had already gathered 430,000 signatures across several counties, with a target of 1 million signatures required to process the referendum.
In August 2024, he was also involved in a similar campaign aimed at abolishing government positions, including senators and Women Representatives.
