Prosecution Alleges Arrested Teens in Kenya Illegally as Court Issues Directives

The Milimani Children’s Court has ordered the detention of the two minors who were arrested for desecrating the Kenyan flag after a football match at Nyayo Stadium until Wednesday.
The children, whose actions have drawn widespread criticism from Kenyans, are facing charges of being in the country illegally, damage to a national symbol and causing a disturbance.
The court has ordered that they be held at the Gigiri Children’s Protection Unit until Wednesday, when the case will resume.
The teenagers, aged 14 and 17, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Rose Gitau at the Children’s Court on Friday.
However, they did not take a plea during the appearance, as the magistrate ordered that a social inquiry report be filed at the court before they could take a plea on Wednesday.
Relatives of the teens had requested that they be released into their custody, an idea that the court rejected, arguing that they were not the biological parents of the two.
Their arrestfollowed the circulation of a viral video on September 20, 2025, showing several fans mishandling the Kenyan flag during the clash between Mogadishu City Club and Kenya Police FC.
The incident caused a massive uproar amongst Kenyans, who demanded the immediate arrest of the two individuals.
Following the incident, Mogadishu FC issued a formal apology, condemning the actions, as they distanced themselves from the two fans implicated in the controversy.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, also issued a statement, condemning the incident, noting that it did not represent the values and interests of Somalia.
Section 2B of The National Flag Emblem & Names Act, Cap 99 states that: Any person who shows disrespect, in speech, manner or writing, to or with reference to the National Anthem, or to any specified emblem, specified likeness or specified name, or any representation thereof, shall be guilty of an offence.
Individuals found guilty of violating this act are liable to a fine that can lead to fines of up toKsh5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months.