Eric Omondi Arrested After Blocking Parliament Road

Comedian Eric Omondi was on Tuesday, February 21, arrested after attempting to storm the Parliament in protest against the high cost of living.

Omondi was in the company of other activists who blocked Parliament Road, in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) in their attempt to compel the government to reduce the prices of basic commodities. 

However, their effort to storm Parliament buildings was thwarted after officers manning the installation repulsed the group of protesters. 

“Bado mapambano, mapambano, bado mapambano (the struggle continues),” the group led by the commedian chanted while calling on the Kenya Kwanza leaders to act on the rising cost of living terming it as an economic crisis.

Comedian Eric Omondi is escorted to a police vehicle on March 11, 2021.

The Standard

Irked by the protests,  the police officers who were manning the Parliament buildings lobbed tear gas at them. 

However, the group of protesters received support from Azimio la Umoja leaders who called on other Kenyans to place more demands and pressure on President William Ruto’s government over the continually rising cost of living. 

“Welcome aboard Eric Omondi, more people will join our movement of change – the cost of living is too high,” Narok Senator Ledama Olekina stated.

The cost of living in the country is largely driven by the high rate of inflation which currently stands at around 9 per cent, according to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

The inflation rates have, in turn, significantly affected the price of goods, especially those of basic commodities including maize flour, cooking oil, bread and sugar. 

As the country’s cost of living continues to surge, however, the country registered the third lowest inflation rate in the month of January 2023 in five months, a decrease from 9.1 per cent rate recorded in December 2022. 

President William Ruto previously promised to lower the cost of living, especially, the prices of basic commodities such as unga, cooking oil, bread and sugar. 

The current retail prices for unga is Ksh195, while 1k of sugar goes for Ksh146, 1 litre of cooking oil goes for Ksh360. 

Comedian Eric Omondi poses for a photo in 2019

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