Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu told locals to kick out Maasais, court hears

Kabete MP Fedinand Waititu (right) and his lawyer Cliff Ombeta leave Milimani Law Courts after the hearing of an incitement case, yesterday. [PHOTO: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD]

A senior police officer witnessed Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu inciting people against the Maasai in Nairobi, a court yesterday heard.

The officer said Waititu, while addressing a crowd, urged them to kick out members of the community from Kayole after a security guard killed a thief.

Gerald Mabea, a former deputy Officer Commanding Police Division in Kayole, told trial Magistrate Joyce Gandani the politician told the crowd to kick out all Maasais in the area.

The court heard that Waititu said "all members of the Maasai community in Kayole should be flushed out since they are Tanzanians without identity cards and our people can be security guards".

Mr Mabea said on the material day, he was called by chief inspector Wilson Cheruiyot informing him that somebody had been killed by a security guard over theft.

"On September 24, 2012 at around 6am, l was called by OCS Kayole informing me a man had been killed by a Maasai security guard for attempted theft," said Mabea.

The officer said after Waititu's address, people started looking for Maasais at Corner in Kayole estate, leading to an assault on Lucas Mitibon and Nyangusi ole Sindoe.

He said after investigations, Waititu was later arrested after the killing of a John Gitau by night guards.

Waititu, then Embakasi MP, is charged with hate speech and incitement to violence following remarks the prosecution said led to the murder of two other members of the Maasai community in Kayole.

The MP was kicked out of a Cabinet post after incitement charges were instituted against him.

Waititu has since denied inciting people to violence and is out on a cash bail of Sh100,000.

At the same time the magistrate issued summons against a protected witness who is a police officer after the prosecution asked the court for an adjournment, saying it needs to summon the officer, who is a forensic expert.

The hearing resumes on April 4.