Former Chief Justice David Maraga has been arrested alongside several environmental activists who were protesting against a plan to excise 76 acres of protected land within Nairobi National Park.
Retired CJ Maraga is a presidential aspirant on a United Green Movement party ticket and has been traversing the country to popularize his bid.
On Monday, he led demonstrators who sought to present a petition to the Kenya Wildlife Services in opposition to the proposed allocation of part of the parkland for other purposes. They argue that the reassignment of the land threatens wildlife conservation efforts and could set a dangerous precedent for the continued encroachment of protected areas.
Reports suggested that police moved in to disperse the protesters before arresting the former CJ alongside several participants.
The arrests sparked criticism from Kenyans from all walks of life, including conservation groups and civil society organisations.
Members of the public took to social media to express their anger, leading to #FreeMaraga quickly became a top trending topic on leading platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter).
