Nandi Senator Cherargei arrested over hate speech

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has been arrested in relation to hate speech in August.

Cherargei was arrested on Tuesday, four months after recording a statement at the DCI offices in Kisumu county.

He is expected in court on Tuesday to face charges of ethnic contempt.

Detectives said that the senator made hateful remarks at Kilibwoni Primary School on August 17 during a fundraiser for Kilibwoni Football  club.

He was later released on personal bail.

Detectives said that the senator used words that were calculated to incite violence among the communities living in the area.

These are the words appearing on his charge sheet, "wale watu waendelee kupiga vita naibu wa rais, we are profiling you and if you fight the deputy president you are fighting us, usifikiri deputy hana watu wake, sisi watu wake tuko hapa, muendelee kutusi naibu wa rais lakini we are marking you and we are profiling you , ikifika wakati tutawashughulikia, tutawashughulikia msicheze".

He defended himself by saying that the remarks he made concerning support for Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 bid, and which led to his arrest, were misinterpreted.

He said Kisumu DCI detectives questioned him about the meaning of the words he used.

The senator had asked the state investigating agents to stop intimidating him.

Cherargei had said that he was being investigated due to his position as the Chair of Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights.

The senator further questioned the DCI in regard to his arrest and he is yet to be arraigned. 

"I am surprised that these people have not taken me to court. They just want to intimidate me to write statements, threatening me with the blackmail of arrest," Cherargei said.