City Deejays protest arrests during noise pollution crackdown
By SYLVANIA AMBANINairobi deejays are appealing to the police to stop arresting them during ongoing noise pollution crackdown on nightclubs.
This is after two deejays were arrested over the weekend at a nightclub on Kiambu Road.
Dj Riggz and Dj Tremor were arrested at Club Jikonis in Ridgeways on Saturday night during a crackdown by National Environment Management Agency (Nema) officials.
The two were released on Sunday on a cash bail of sh30,000 each after an intervention by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja.
“We find it unjust and unfair for deejays to also be arrested during these Nema crackdowns since deejays are only hired by the clubs. We want to comply with Nema’s efforts to find a solution to noise pollution but this cannot be at the expense of us being arrested when we are only looking for our daily bread,” said Dj Kace.
He added: “There are a lot of young deejays coming out and they depend on the art for their livelihood.”
Dj Kace says the arrest have been happening since mid-last year.
Here are some reactions from Kenyans on Twitter.
“I’ve spent 2 nights in these cells, they should stop this madness,” said Dj Ibra Kadabara.
“Stop arresting innocent djs,” tweeted Bridget_ke.
“Stop arresting our DJ or you see fire. I mean on the dance hall,” commented Mwirigi_ng.
“What! This is very wrong how they expect youths to earn a decent living,” said stevoDemosh1.
“Yaani mapolisi washafika kwa dj and I thought that @UKenyatta Supported entertainment industry,” said snayve254.
“At least they’ve not be held incommunicado. Tano tena ndio hiyo,” commented DunochD.
“After They #StopArrestingDjs Kindly Come Up with another Campaign to push legislators in Making Art Policies once n for all… I haven’t heard none of you commend @MoiGideon for his Support,” said keysevenkenya.