Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai has been freed on cash bail after a Nakuru court declined a police request to detain him for 21 days over investigations into violent clashes that disrupted a youth empowerment event in his constituency and left three people injured.
The legislator presented himself to detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday evening and was held at Nakuru Police Station as investigators pursued claims linking him to the unrest and a reported shooting incident.
His arrest quickly drew supporters to the station, where they demanded his immediate release or prompt appearance before a magistrate.
By Tuesday afternoon, the crowd outside the police station had grown, with supporters accusing authorities of deliberately delaying the court process to keep the MP in custody for an additional night.
“Tunajua wanataka ku-delay ndio alale tena mara ya pili. Ile kitu wamepanga ni kupeleka Mutai kortini saa kumi na moja jioni ndio adelay asitoke ili akipewa bail tuchelewe kulipa alale tena ndani. Ni instructions from above, ” said Rongai MP Paul Chebor.
“Tunataka mheshimiwa awachiliwe, na mambo ya kuwa discriminative tunaona ni orders from above, ” said another supporter, Felistes Malakit.
Investigators allege that Mutai was connected to the violence that broke out during the youth empowerment programme attended by several leaders, including Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.
The incident resulted in injuries to at least three people and damage to multiple vehicles and other property.
Police sought permission from the court to hold the MP for three weeks while completing investigations into allegations of arson and malicious damage to property. However, Senior Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet dismissed the application, finding that investigators had not presented sufficient grounds to justify continued detention.
“In the present circumstances, I find that the applicant has failed to demonstrate compelling reasons to warrant the detention of the respondent for 21 days or at all. The application dated June 23, 2026, seeking to detain the respondent for 21 days is hereby dismissed,” Magistrate stated .
The court instead ordered Mutai’s release on a bond of Ksh.100,000 with one surety or an alternative cash bail of Ksh.50,000.
As part of the conditions, the MP must report to the investigating officer every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until the 21-day investigation period ends.
The decision comes a day after the High Court in Nakuru also rejected a similar police request to detain 12 other suspects linked to the same incident, signalling the judiciary’s insistence that ongoing investigations alone cannot be used to deny suspects their liberty without compelling justification.
