Ferdinand Waititu arrested

By Peter Ochieng

Former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu, alias Baba Yao has been arrested.

He was reportedly arrested on Monday afternoon by officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), along the Eastern Bypass in Nairobi.

His lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru said his client was arrested in relation to allegations of hate speech utterances.

“They have informed us that they arrested him because of an utterance of hate speech that they alleged that he made in his native Kikuyu language.”

“I have instructed him to remain silent because the claims are not valid and it seems this is a move to curtail the freedom of expression for my client as enshrined in the constitution,’’ Ndegwa said.

The vocal politician cum businessman served as the second governor of Kiambu County from 2016 to January 2020. He was impeached on corruption charges.

His arrest came hours after the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), summoned two Tana River leaders for inciting members of the public.

NCIC has summoned Bangale Ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Jibri Mohamud Farah, and Galole Member of Parliament (MP) Hiribae Said Buya.

MCA Farah was summoned for allegedly inciting residents of Katumba area in Kitui county, against construction of a police station in the area. MP Buya was on the other hand summoned for inciting residents of his constituency to destroy Kanokaliti Police station, in Kitui South.

“These statements are reported to have incited feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence, or discrimination among residents living along the border of Kitui and Tana River counties,” read the statement from NCIC.

“Take further notice that in pursuant to section 29 of the NCIC Act, that summons issued by the commission must be obeyed as if such summons were issued by the High Court.”

The two were ordered to appear before NCIC offices on Tuesday, to assist the Commission with the afore-mentioned ongoing investigations.