Police arrest Nyamira County Knut official for hate speech
Teachers in protest in the streets of Kisumu during the 2015 strike. Mr Kennedy Nyamwanda, the Nyamira Knut branch chairman has been arrested over hate speech utterances believed to have been made during the 2015 countrywide teachers' strike. FILE PHOTO | TOM OTIENO
What you need to know:
- It could not immediately be established what Nyamwanda's offending utterances were.
- He is, however, believed to have been made them during the 2015 countrywide teachers' strike.
- Union officials, however, wondered why it had taken so long for the police to arrest their colleague.
- The official is expected to be charged in court Wednesday morning.
A top Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) official from Nyamira County spent Tuesday night in police custody after being arrested for hate speech.
Mr Kennedy Nyamwanda, the region’s branch chairman was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday evening and taken to the Nyamira Police Station for questioning.
It could not immediately be established what his offending utterances were.
He is, however, believed to have been made them during the 2015 countrywide teachers' strike.
Efforts by his colleagues, who included branch executive secretary Kennedy Migosi, to have him released on bond were rejected by the law enforcement officers who argued that he had been evading arrest for a long time.
“The report I have from my investigating officers indicate that Mr Nyamwanda has been on the run.
“He will therefore remain in our custody until he is taken to court,” Nyamira County Police Commander Titus Karuri told Nation.co.ke.
The official is expected to be charged in court Wednesday morning.
Union officials, however, wondered why it had taken so long for the police to arrest their colleague.
