NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s top prosecutor on Monday dropped charges against four lawmakers over anti-government protests, a day after opposition leader Raila Odinga suspended the demonstrations, their lawyer said.
Odinga said on Sunday he was ready for talks with President William Ruto, as long as authorities halted arrests and prosecutions connected to the protests, among other conditions.
“The case has been withdrawn … for the sake of peace, dialogue and justice between the accused persons and the state,” lawyer Danstan Omari told Reuters.
The four oppostion lawmakers, who included the leaders of Odinga’s faction in both houses of parliament, were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly in late March, then released on bail.
Thousands took part in three marches over the past two weeks against high living costs and alleged fraud in last year’s vote. All turned violent and a fourth rally had been planned for Monday.
(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Sofia Christensen and Andrew Heavens)
