Kiambu Governor Kabogo denies hate speech claims

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has come out to refute claims that his utterances highlighted in the media were inciting.

Governor Kabogo came under sharp criticism after a video emerged of him making what has been termed as inciting statements targeting CORD leader Raila Odinga and Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama.

The clip taken last Sunday at Thika Stadium during the 30-year celebration of musician John de Matthew’s music career shows Kabogo threatening Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama with dire consequences if he does not stop insulting President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“If Muthama insults (President) Uhuru again; we will go for him in his mother’s house,” Kabogo was seen as saying.

He further accused Raila of apathy saying his decisions are deprived of wisdom.

The Kiambu Governor also dared the media to report on his utterances saying he has enough money to defend himself in court if need be.

Kabogo said that his utterances were not targeted at any community, saying he is a law abiding citizen who does not propagate hate in his addresses.

Speaking when he appeared at the DCI Headquarters on Kiambu road in Nairobi, Kabogo stated that his willingness to present himself for investigations should be an indication that he has nothing to hide, stating that his point was that one is prone to contracting HIV/Aids if he is not circumcised.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) chair, Francis Ole Kaparo, warned leaders against abusing the freedom of expression to incite the public to violence.

“The right to freedom of expression should not be used to incite the public to violence because that is going against the Constitution,” he said.

Police spokesman Charles Owino said that police will not relent in ensuring that politicians who propagate hate through inflammatory statements are arrested and prosecuted.

“Anyone making inflammatory statements, irrespective of their political class or affiliation shall face stern action in accordance to the law,” said Owino.

“The Inspector General of the National Police Service has directed immediate investigations into alleged inflammatory statement bordering on hate speech made by a senior politician last week.”

Past cases of hate speech

This comes, two months after Senator Muthama was put under investigation for utterances he made during CORD’s pro-teachers rally at Uhuru Park.

In his speech, Muthama allegedly told the crowd that teachers who would return to school as per President Uhuru Kenyatta’s call would be stoned.

The senator is further accused of saying President Kenyatta would be “smoked out of State House soon” if he does not resign.

Former Nairobi mayor George Aladwa was also recently condemned for utterances made at a Kibera rally allegedly inciting Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) supporters to violence in the 2017 elections.

The clip shows the ODM Nairobi Chair telling the crowd that Raila Odinga has one shot at the presidency, adding that any moves to rig the elections will face strong resistance.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria is also among those accused of hate speech after he allegedly incited youth in his constituency to slash – using pangas – those opposed to the National Youth Service (NYS) programme.

Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi is also faced with charges over tweets that were deemed to amount to hate speech.

In one of the posts, Ngunyi stated that: “The LUO NATION is spell bound by RAILA. Period. That is why they call him BABA like NYAYO. In fact, the only BABA after NYAYO. Mental SLAVERY.”

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga last week warned politicians to desist from spreading hate saying that any further persistence will be detrimental to the country’s peace in 2017.