Meru Senator Mithika Linturi has been arrested at Eka hotel in Eldoret over his comments during a public rally on Saturday, January 8.
The arrest follows a directive by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai to investigate the matter and forward the findings to DPP’s office.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has also ordered police to investigate the utterances said to be bordering on hate speech.
In a letter to the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and copied to the Chairperson of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the DPP also wants to know if the controversial Senator crossed the hate speech line.
According to Haji the utterances could incite feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination but assured Kenyans that persons found culpable of hate speech and incitement will be prosecuted.
“My attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media platforms portraying Mithika Linturi allegedly addressing a crowd and stating that ‘watu wa Uasin Gishu musicheze na Kenya, na kile nawaomba ni kwamba madoadoa yale mulionayo hapa muweze kuondoa‘,” DPP wrote.
The Senator has also been summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) over the alleged incitement remarks.
According to NCIC, the use of Madoadoa in his remarks “was calculated to be hateful and likely to affect harmonious coexistence between the Kalenjins and other communities contrary to Section 13(1)(a) of the NCIC Act.