Jubilee Party deputy organising secretary and political strategist Pauline Njoroge has opened up about her 2023 arrest in Watamu, describing the incident as sudden, frightening, and difficult to process.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, Njoroge revisited the events that led to her detention over alleged social media posts.
Njoroge said the ordeal began with a warning phone call days before the arrest, cautioning her to be careful.
She told the interviewer that at the time, she did not fully understand the seriousness of the warning until the day police moved in.
She said the situation escalated quickly, leaving her with little time to react. Njoroge managed to send a short text message informing contacts that she had been arrested before her phone was taken.
She further alleged that police officers later searched her hotel room without presenting a warrant.
During the search, officers claimed to have recovered illegal substances, including bhang and psychotropic drugs.
Njoroge strongly denied the claims, insisting she had never possessed or seen the substances before.
“That was the first time I had ever seen bhang,” she said, disputing the allegations made against her.
She maintained that the items were planted to justify her arrest and detention.
Njoroge was later charged with hate speech against the Head of State, a charge that drew attention due to her political profile and the growing debate on online speech and political expression in Kenya.
She said the case did not stand the test of scrutiny in court.
According to Njoroge, the charges were eventually dropped after prosecutors failed to provide evidence linking her to the alleged offence.
She described the collapse of the case as proof that the accusations had no factual basis.
The arrest came at a time when several politicians and activists reported increased scrutiny over social media activity.
While police did not issue a detailed public statement at the time, the case’s outcome raised questions among observers about due process and the handling of politically sensitive arrests.
Njoroge said she chose to speak now to share her experience and set the record straight.
She added that the incident remains one of the most unsettling moments of her political life, but one she believes Kenyans should openly discuss in the context of rights, accountability, and the rule of law.