Hate Speech Arrest: ODM Suna East MP Junet Mohammed Detained

Hate Speech Arrest – Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohammed has been arrested.

The outspoken Orange Democratic Party politician was arrested on the morning of Friday, July 21, at Kabunde airstrip in Homa Bay county over remarks believed to be hate speech and violence inciting allegedly made a fortnight ago at a youth conference attended by ODM deputy party leader Hassan Joho.

See Also: President Kenyatta – People Who Spread Hate Speech Will Not Be Spared

He was taken to Homa Bay Police Station where he is believed to have recorded a statement.

Junet Mohammed took to Twitter to announce his arrest but failed to provide any more information.

The police have also held back on the specifics of his arrest or what exactly the MP uttered to warrant his arrest.

Homa Bay Criminal Investigations chief Joseph Tuksho has, however, said Junet Mohamed will be taken to court today to answer to the charges.

The hate speech arrest comes days after President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed that the full force of the law will be used against politicians who incite Kenyans to violence. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission echoed the country’s leader’s sentiments adding that Kenyans, in general, will be held accountable for their remarks.

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This is not the first time the MP, who is also the ODM director of elections, has been arrested over hate speech.

In June 2016, seven lawmakers from Jubilee and ODM party including Junet Mohamed spent days behind bars in various police stations in the city over hate speech.

The other politicians arrested at that time include Moses Kuria, Ferdinand Waititu, Florence Mutua, Aisha Jumwa, Timothy Bosire, Johnson Muthama and Kimani Ngunjiri.

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