By Ongaga Ongaga
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has condemned the arrest and detention of former Chief Justice David Maraga and nine other individuals during a protest at Nairobi National Park on Monday.
Musyoka described the incident as an attack on constitutional freedoms and Kenya’s democracy.
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In a statement issued on Monday, Kalonzo accused the government of violating the rights of citizens who had gathered peacefully to oppose plans that he claimed would alter protected land within the national park.
He argued that the arrests went beyond issues of public order and struck at the heart of constitutional governance.
“What happened this morning at Lang’ata Road is not a matter of public order. It is a matter of the soul of our democracy and a direct assault on our Constitution,” Kalonzo said.
The opposition leader cited constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of assembly, expression, access to information and public participation, arguing that the demonstrators were exercising rights protected by law.
He accused the government of suppressing legitimate public dissent.
“They did not merely arrest peaceful protesters; they arrested the Constitution itself,” he said.
Kalonzo also criticized an alleged plan to excise part of Nairobi National Park for development, claiming that the move would undermine environmental conservation and public participation requirements.
“The Nairobi National Park is not just land. It is the only national park in the world located within a capital city, an irreplaceable ecological and heritage treasure that belongs to every Kenyan,” he stated. “To excise even a single acre of this park for a parking facility is an act of national vandalism and cannot be undone.”
He called on the government to immediately abandon any plans that could alter the boundaries or integrity of the park, warning that damage to wildlife corridors and indigenous ecosystems could have lasting consequences.
The former vice president also praised Maraga’s conduct following his release from Lang’ata Police Station, saying the former Chief Justice declined to leave until other detainees had also been freed.
“I will not leave this station until all those detained are released,” Kalonzo quoted Maraga as saying, describing the move as a demonstration of solidarity and leadership.
Kalonzo further demanded the immediate release of anyone still being held, called on the Inspector General of Police to explain the use of force against protesters, and urged the Cabinet Secretary responsible for environment matters to clarify the legal basis for any proposed excision of park land.
He also challenged President William Ruto to address the issue publicly, arguing that silence from the country’s leadership would only deepen public concerns over the fate of Nairobi National Park and the rights of those opposing the project.
