Former Chief Justice David Maraga has broken his silence following his dramatic arrest outside the Nairobi National Park along Lang’ata Road.
In a statement on Monday, June 8 evening, Maraga condemned his arrest and the detention of several activists, describing the police action as unlawful and a violation of constitutional rights.
The former CJ noted that he had joined members of the United Green Movement (UGM) and other environmentalists in a peaceful march to oppose the proposed allocation of 89 acres of the park for the development of a 1,300-capacity car park and the relocation of the Animal Orphanage.
According to Maraga he procession had been approved by the police before it commenced and was conducted peacefully in line with constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of assembly and expression.
However, the 2027 presidential aspirant claimed that police officers later disrupted the march and arrested participants without provocation.
“The police okayed the procession, prior to its commencement in the morning. However, a short while later as we marched on, we were met with unprovoked, violent arrests.
“The police swooped on us in a lorry with plainclothes and armed police personnel, violently disrupting the procession and apprehending unarmed, harmless citizens,” he stated.
Maraga disclosed that although he was later released, nine other protesters remained in custody at Lang’ata Police Station without specific charges having been preferred against them.
The former Chief Justice accused the government of undermining constitutional freedoms and called for an end to what he described as the misuse of law enforcement agencies to suppress dissent.
“The police can not operate outside the law they are sworn to uphold. The government must stop this subversion of the law and assaults on constitutional rights,” Maraga added.
