"Taking Us Back to Moi Era" — Ndegwa Njiru Sounds Alarm Over Treason Charges Against Activist Njagi

High Court Advocate Ndegwa Njiru has issued a stinging warning that the current regime's growing tendency to brand dissent as treason is dragging Kenya back to the dark days of Moi-era dictatorship, insisting that activist Bob Njagi must be vigorously defended against the charges hanging over his head.

Njiru's remarks come in the wake of Njagi's arrest in Kitengela, Kajiado County, where the activist is accused of urging young people to turn out in large numbers for the June 25 Gen Z anniversary demonstrations marking two years since the deadly 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.

"This issue of turning any dissent into treason is taking us back to the Moi era dictatorship. Bob Njagi must be defended," Njiru stated, drawing a direct parallel between the current administration's handling of government critics and the heavy-handed tactics associated with Kenya's single-party era.

Njagi, the chairman of the Free Kenya Movement, was arrested on Wednesday, June 24, after a video circulated on social media showing him allegedly rallying youth to participate in the Thursday commemorations.

Kajiado County Police Commander Alex Shikondi confirmed the arrest, claiming the activist's remarks risked inciting unrest and property destruction in Kitengela town, an area that has previously witnessed violent clashes during protests.

According to human rights activist Hussein Khalid, police informed the court that Njagi is under investigation over allegations linked to treason, with detectives requesting and being granted seven days to detain him as they continue building their case.

The development has alarmed civil society actors, who argue that slapping such a grave charge on an activist for merely calling for peaceful commemorations sets a dangerous precedent for civic freedoms in the country.

The Law Society of Kenya has separately condemned what it termed the "collective punishment" approach taken by police during the anniversary crackdown, revealing that over 350 people were arrested nationwide, with volunteer lawyers deployed to courts to offer free legal representation to those charged.

With rights groups and legal voices like Njiru rallying behind him, Njagi's case is fast becoming a litmus test for how far the government is willing to go in policing dissent, and whether Kenya's courts will draw a firm line against what critics describe as the criminalisation of free expression.