Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina Arrested over Alleged Hateful Remarks

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina was on Tuesday morning arrested in Nairobi for allegedly making inflammatory remarks.

Ledama was apprehended by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) shortly after exiting Royal Media Services studios on Dennis Pritt Road, Nairobi, where he had appeared for a show.

“NCIC in partnership with DCI has today arrested Hon Ledama ole Kina, Senator Narok County,” NCIC announced through Twitter.

Ledama, who is accused of making sentiments bordering on hate speech at a Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) rally in Narok last weekend, was taken to Kilimani DCI offices for questioning.

He had earlier been summoned to DCI offices in Narok to record a statement in connection with alleged hateful utterances he made during an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday last week.

"I Mwenda Ethaiba (SSP) - the County Criminal Investigations Officer Narok County- I am making inquiries into the alleged offense of hate speech contrary to section 13 (1) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act no. 12 of 2008,” read a letter sent to the Senator.

"In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by section 52 of the National Police Service Act of 2011, I require you [Ole Kina] to appear before me at the DCI Narok Headquarters on February 24th, 2020, at 0900hrs." 

During the BBI rally, Ledama accused non-locals of invading Maasai-dominated counties such as Narok and Kajiado. He claimed they were buying land meant for agriculture before partitioning it and selling it at huge profits.

He alleged that non-locals could purchase an acre of land for Sh70,000 then sell it for a minimum of Sh350,000 after sub-dividing it.