This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
On October 7, 2019, police in Mombasa arrested 13 protesters, including truck drivers and human rights activists, during a demonstration against the monopoly use of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) for cargo transport.
The protesters, who were detained at the Nyali Police Station, were released on October 7, 2019, unconditionally, but were required to report back to the police station on October 10, 2019.
'We have been asked to go back on October 10 and report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations office. We will comply because what we know is that we did not commit any crime, but exercising our constitutional rights,' said Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri) rapid response officer Francis Auma, who was among those arrested.
The protesters were accused of violating Section 83 of the Penal Code, which prohibits rioting after proclamation by police. However, the police boss, Simon Thirikwa, termed the demonstration as 'illegal' because the protesters defied the proclamation.
The demonstration was staged at the Nyali Bridge along the Malindi-Mombasa Highway after the transporters claimed they had been denied access at the Mombasa port to carry and nominate the cargo. Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) general manager Captain William Ruto, however, dismissed the claims, saying the trucks had been allowed in the port as agreed by the government.
