Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet says the politician will be questioned over the comments which he termed as “hate speech”/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 15 – Police have arrested a parliamentary aspirant who was being sought over a viral video in which he vowed to cause violence should former Prime Minister Raila Odinga lose the Presidential election next year.
Jim Ayungo, a former Youth Enterprise Fund director, who is eyeing the Ruaraka seat was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and taken to the CID headquarters for questioning.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet ordered him to present himself to the nearest police station on Tuesday, following the weekend remarks that have been categorised as hate speech.
“This time we are not going to spare anybody… no one anyone at all,” the IG said after confirming his arrest. “If you engage in hate speech, get ready to face the Court.”
He said no political leader would be spared if found guilty of engaging in the vice.
Already the Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaisserry has affirmed the IG’s sentiments, warning politicians of dire consequences if they are found making inflammatory remarks which can ignite violence in the country.
The two security bosses in the country say adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure Kenya remains secure as it prepares to go to elections in August next year.
“We are not going to tolerate hatemongers. Our appeal to the Judiciary is that they recommend hefty fines against the culprits,” he said.
In the video clip that has gone viral since Friday, Ayungo is seen addressing a crowd in what appears to be a political function mainly attended by youths in Ruaraka, but the exact venue is not known.
His remarks are seen as having the potential to incite political violence in a country with a history of post-election violence.
The worst being experienced in 2007/8 when more than 1,000 people were killed and over 600,000 others were uprooted from their homes, mainly in the Rift Valley leading to an investigation by the International Criminal Court which sought to nail six Kenyans – including President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto for alleged roles in the mayhem but their charges were later dropped for lack of evidence.
Given this history, the Constitution which was birthed thereafter made provisions for a National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
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