Waititu under fire in social media

By Jelimo Chelagat

Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu has become the target of social media outrage following ethnically charged comments he made in Kayole on Monday.

The MP was responding to a violent confrontation between street boys and watchmen in the area that left three people dead and others injured.

Waitutu told a charged crowd in the presence of law enforcement officers that members from a certain community should leave Kayole. He added that those who had hired people from that community should sack them amid cheers from the crowd.

The Water Assistant Minister then urged the police to round up people from that community for interrogations into who killed the street boy.

Following media reports on his remarks, social media users have been expressing their displeasure on Waititu’s utterances with others calling for his arrest and prosecution for hate speech.

“What qualifies as hate speech?? Waititu just told all people from a certain community to vacate Kayole... Isn’t this hate speech???” expressed Titus Parklea on Facebook.

“…that guy is not my MP, his embarrassment....and yes THAT IS hate speech” shared Ambuso Mulema.

On twitter users added, “Ferdinard Waititu should NOT escape prosecution for incitement & murder by calling for all people from a certain community to leave Kayole...one person already dead,” said Brian Mungei.

“ There is a Charge known as Incitement to Violence. Waititu must be arrested, and charged tomorrow. If not, lets conclude that the law favours,” tweeted Francis Gachuri.

Celebrities and media personalities have also joined those expressing their annoyance at the injurious comments among them Lary Asego, Nimrod Taabu, Saddique Shaban, Ramah Nyang and Marcus Olang.

Popular blogger Robert Alai has taken it further by starting an online campaign through a series of tweets tagged #ArrestWaititu.

"@RobertAlai: MP Waititu MUST be arrested today. There is no two way about it. #ArrestWaititu"

Waititu is expected to address the media at parliament building at noon. As the debate rages on, all eyes on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, which has the mandate to prosecute offenders of the hate speech law.

This incident comes after a much publicised arrest of Cabinet Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere whose charges were dropped following a public apology and subsequent acceptance from the affected communities.