lowereas
Tensions continue to mount as security agencies intensify investigations into a group suspected of mobilizing security personnel against perceived systemic injustice. On Thursday afternoon, former police officer Hiram Kimathi was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at his residence in the Kambakia area of Makutano.
Kimathi’s arrest is the latest in a series of high-profile detentions linked to a controversial movement known as Fighting Brutality and Impunity (FBI) a group that claims to advocate against police excesses and government oppression. Other individuals linked to the outfit, including ex-Kenya Defence Forces officer Patrick Osoi and activist Jackson Kuria Kimani, alias Cop Shakur, are already in custody.
Detectives reportedly camped outside Kimathi’s home for hours before he voluntarily surrendered. He was handcuffed, escorted into a DCI vehicle, and driven to an undisclosed location. His lawyer, Dan Kiruai, who arrived at the scene moments later, criticized the arrest, saying no formal charges or reasons were communicated. “We are yet to be told which station he is being held at or what offence he is alleged to have committed,” Kiruai said, adding that Kimathi’s involvement in the movement is constitutionally protected under the right to free expression.
The FBI movement has drawn attention for its bold declarations against police brutality and for claiming to recruit both former and current officers disillusioned by what they describe as “illegal orders” within the security service. Osoi, one of the movement’s prominent figures, was arraigned at the Kahawa Law Courts earlier this week. Court documents revealed that he, together with Kimathi and Cop Shakur, is accused of preparing to commit felonies, illegal possession of arms, and facilitating activities linked to terrorism.
Interestingly, Osoi had also announced his political ambitions, including plans to run for the presidency in 2027 under the FBI banner. He is a former Kenya Defence Forces serviceman and reportedly a United States Army veteran. He also claims to have served in Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Cop Shakur, who was arrested while attending Osoi’s court session in solidarity, remains in custody as investigations continue.
Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the full extent of the group’s operations, but human rights groups are already raising alarm over what they perceive to be an emerging crackdown on dissent under the guise of national security.
As public discourse around police accountability intensifies, the unfolding arrests are likely to spark fresh debate on the boundaries of activism, national security, and constitutional freedoms in Kenya’s democratic space.
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