Incumbent Machakos Governor, Dr Alfred Mutua, has called upon the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to investigate 'vijana fire' campaign utterance by Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
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In a statement, Mutua argued that the phrase could be used to provoke violence among the youth during the upcoming August 9, 2022 General Election.
"When a leader tells angry a leader tells hungry, jobless suffering and easy to manipulate youths 'vijana fire', what is the message he is sending them? You only fire after taking aim and then pressing the trigger to shoot a fellow Kenyan," said Mutua.
Alfred Mutua
Alfred Mutua
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"We call upon the National Cohesion and Cohesion Commission (NCIC) to investigate Raila Odinga and Azimio for incitement to violence. Let us shun utterances and actions that may send messages of incitement and violence," Mutua added.
The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader cited that election violence is triggered by such expressions.
"Election violence starts with such utterances and programming. As the saying goes in Swahili, 'Ukiona vyaelea, jua vyaundwa'. Telling youth 'fire' is incitement and tantamount to hate speech and priming youth to violence," explained Mutua.
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Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua with Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate Dr William Ruto during a campaign stopover on May 10, 2022
Pulse Live Kenya
This is after Raila Odinga has been using the 'vijana fire' catchphrase in his campaign trails to win the hearts of Kenyan youths.
Mutua was seen chanting to the phrase until a few months ago when he exited Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party and joined William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza.
Alfred Mutua joins DP Ruto's Kenya Kwanza
Alfred Mutua joins DP Ruto's Kenya Kwanza
Pulse Live Kenya
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Dr Aflred's demand comes just a few weeks after the High Court overturned NCIC decision of declaring hatupangwingwi and watajua hawajui as banned words.
2 words removed from NCIC elections blacklist
The decision by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) declaring hatupangwingwi and watajua hawajui as banned words ahead of the elections was overturned by the High Court.
High Court judge Antony Ndung’u, justified his orders stating that the NCIC did not inform the general public of the planned ban as per Section 7 of the Fair Administrative Action Act, 2015.
The petition against the NCIC decision was filed by Chama cha Mawakili Limited (CML) through lawyers Felix Kiprono and Vincent Yegon who said the two terms banned by the commission did not in any way amount to hate speech and that the Commission infringed the Kenyans’ freedom of expression.
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