More politicians on police radar over alleged incitement as Linturi gets reprieve in court

The list of politicians wanted for incitement allegations has been growing day by day in the last couple of days. 

This is after the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Monday and Tuesday directed the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to probe three more politicians in connection to incitement accusations.   

On Sunday, Meru Senator Mithika Linturi was arrested over his already viral “madoadoa” remarks during the UDA rally in Eldoret town on Saturday.

The controversial senator spent two nights in police custody before being arraigned in a Nakuru court on Tuesday. He however got a temporary relief after the court released him on a KSh2 million cash bail or KSh 5 million bond. He was also warned not interfere with the witnesses.  

But even as this happened, an ODM-leaning lawmaker was on Tuesday apprehended by police in Kisii barely a day after Mr Haji called for his probe.

Kitutu Chache MP Richard Onyonka was arrested over alleged inflammatory utterances he made against another tribe. By the time of going to the press, the legislator had already filed an application in court seeking to bar the police from investigating him.

Hours after the lawmaker was arrested and taken to Kisii County DCI headquarters, the ODDP issued a directive to the police to investigate Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and a Lamu-based politician Abubakar Amana over alleged incitement remarks they made in Eldoret and Lamu respectively.

Racism

The vocal youthful Senator from a South Rift County, the DPP says, made a racist remark against a colleague elected leader at the Eldoret Sports Club UDA’s rally on Saturday. “The alleged remarks captured in the video clip make reference to the racial identity of an elected leader, whose utterances could incite feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination,” read in part the letter written by Mr Haji to the National Police Service boss.  

On Mr Amana, the DPP asserts that he allegedly made inciteful remarks during a press conference on December, 19, 2021 at the coastal county. “The alleged remarks captured in the video clip refer to certain parts of belonging to certain tribes, and tribal background being a pre-condition for seeking an elective position in these areas,” read in part the letter to Mr. Mutyambai.

With the general elections barely seven months around the corner, all eyes are trained on the National Commission on Integration and Cohesion (NCIC) to see whether the agency will tame the rogue politicians who utter inciteful utterances in a blink of an eye.

But with the Rev.  Dr. Samuel Kobia-led commission already being on the spot for reportedly being biased and reluctant on taking action against some alleged hatemongers, it might be an uphill task for the commission to fight the menace expeditiously.   

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT, EDITED By MUSYOKA NGUI