Speech at Ruiru concert that led to Ferdinand Waititu's arrest

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was arrested over inflammatory remarks at a concert in Ruiru
Waititu was denied bail and will spend the night at Pangani Police Station
Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, condemned the arrest as intimidation tactic by Kenya Kwanza government

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was on Monday, September 30, 2024, arrested over allegations of making inflammatory remarks during a concert in Ruiru.

The outspoken ex-governor will spend the night at Pangani Police Station after being denied bail. He is expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday to face charges related to cybercrime.

Waititu’s arrest has caused a stir among opposition leaders, who have condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate political figures critical of the Kenya Kwanza government.

A group of opposition leaders, led by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, arrived at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters shortly after Waititu’s arrest. However, they were denied entry and were unable to meet with him.

Musyoka expressed his frustration, stating that the arrest appeared to lack justification. "Any unexplained arrest is nothing short of an abduction. We have come to say no," he declared.

Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu explains why he was escorted out during Mashujaa Day celebrations Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu explains why he was escorted out during Mashujaa Day celebrations Pulse Live Kenya

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Former Defence Minister Eugene Wamalwa, who accompanied Musyoka, questioned the manner in which the police handled the situation.

He insisted that opposition leaders had a right to be informed of the reasons for Waititu’s detention.

Waititu’s arrest stems from a speech he delivered during a public event featuring a popular Kikuyu musician.

In a video that circulated online, the former governor reportedly stated, "If they take that motion to Parliament, Gachagua's MPs will also take a motion to impeach Ruto. There’s no day Gachagua will go home alone since we voted them in as one ticket."

Opposition claims political persecution

The opposition leaders have raised concerns about the growing trend of arrests targeting individuals critical of the government.

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu Pulse Live Kenya

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They argued that if Waititu's remarks were indeed inflammatory, he should have been summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) rather than being arrested under unclear circumstances.