Comedians Sammy Kioko and Tom Daktari Arrested Following Protest at Machakos County Headquarters Over Unpaid KSh 19 Million Tender

Comedians Sammy Kioko and Tom Daktari reportedly beaten and arrested by Machakos askaris while protesting a KSh 19 million unpaid tender debt.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 6:24 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

Escalation of a Long-Standing Tender Dispute

The arrest of Sammy Kioko and his colleague Tom Daktari marks a violent turn in a dispute that has been simmering since late 2025. Kioko, an entrepreneur and comedian who rose to fame on the Churchill Show, claims the Machakos County Government owes his business KSh 19 million for the supply of uniforms. Despite issuing an ultimatum to Governor Wavinya Ndeti and holding a press briefing on March 27 to highlight the plight of unpaid contractors, the county had reportedly remained unresponsive to his demands for full settlement.

The "M-Pesa Token" and County Denials

The situation reached a breaking point last week when Kioko revealed he had received a mere KSh 20,000 via M-Pesa from a county official—a move he described as the "highest level of manipulation." While Kioko viewed this as a dismissive gesture, legal observers noted it could be interpreted as an admission of the debt. Conversely, the Machakos County Attorney has consistently denied the claims, asserting that Kioko was not a registered director of the contracted firm and that the supplies were never fully delivered or documented.

Assault and Detention at County Gates

On the morning of March 31, 2026, Kioko arrived at the county headquarters to stage a camp-out protest, supported by fellow comedians Tom Daktari and Nasra Yusuff. According to eyewitness accounts and video footage shared online, the peaceful demonstration was met with force. Reports indicate that county askaris (inspectorate officers) heavily deployed at the scene obstructed Kioko’s entry. Footage shows a masked individual grabbing Kioko from behind and dragging him to the ground before he was taken into custody. Nasra Yusuff later confirmed that both Kioko and Daktari were being held, alleging they were "beaten up" during the arrest.