Active citizen and prominent #TukoKadi mobiliser Allans Ademba was arrested in Ol Kalou on Thursday after spending the better part of the morning monitoring the parliamentary by-election, documenting events at polling stations and raising concerns about voter eligibility, in a development that shifted fresh attention to the closely watched contest.
Ademba announced his arrest through his X account, saying he had been taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Ol Kalou.
"I've been arrested. Niko Ol Kalau DCI."
He did not explain the circumstances that led to his arrest or state whether he had been informed of any offence. By the time of publication, authorities had also not issued an official statement explaining why he had been detained.
The arrest came just hours after Ademba shared photos and videos from polling stations, where voters had turned out to elect a new Ol Kalou Member of Parliament following the death of the area's former legislator, David Njuguna Kiaraho, on March 29, 2026.
Earlier in the day, Ademba claimed that only voters who participated in the 2022 General Election were being allowed to vote in the by-election, while those who had registered afterwards were being turned away.
"Ol Kalau residents have turned out in large numbers to vote. NOTE: Only those who voted in 2022 are being allowed to vote. The newly registered voters are not allowed to vote as per the IEBC Rules."
At about 7.37am, he also posted a video showing voters lining up at the AC polling station as voting got underway.
Ademba's presence in Ol Kalou reflected the growing public profile he has built since launching the #TukoKadi online mobilisation campaign earlier this year.
The photojournalist first gained national attention in March after starting the digital campaign aimed at encouraging Kenyans to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
On March 17, he joined hundreds of residents in Nairobi's Kasarani area as they registered as voters at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) registration centre located at the D.O.'s offices in Kasarani Sub-county.
Following the strong public response, he expanded the initiative beyond social media by officially launching the #TukoKadi campaign to encourage citizens across the country to register directly at IEBC offices.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election has drawn national political interest, with many viewing the outcome as a key test of political influence in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Voting began at 6.00am, with residents arriving at polling stations early despite the cold weather. Many were wrapped in jackets, hats and Maasai shukas as they queued to cast their ballots.
Polling is expected to close at 5.00pm, with election rules allowing everyone already in the queue by the official closing time to vote. Ademba's arrest has now become one of the major developments in an election already attracting widespread public and political attention.