7 leaders on police watch list

A Cabinet minister and prominent clergyman are among seven leaders on a police watch-list for alleged hate speech.

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Senior police officers have also been told to be on the alert for unrest within the force over delayed salary increase.

According to a police communication seen by the Saturday Nation, six politicians and the clergyman are to be closely watched for allegedly uttering statements likely to incite ethnic and religious tensions.

The same signal also warns senior officers to monitor the situation over a delayed salary increase.

There are fears junior ranks may boycott work on the day of the referendum if salaries are not raised.

New signal

Last month, three MPs and a political activist allied to the ‘No’ camp were arrested and charged with engaging in hate speech.

Works assistant minister Wilfred Machage, MPs Fred Kapondi and Joshua Kutuny, and political activist Christine Nyagitha Miller were accused of making utterances amounting to hate speech at the launch of the ‘No’ secretariat in Nairobi.

The new signal dated June 22 says leaders inciting people should be seized and prosecuted.

The Cabinet minister claimed that the proposed constitution favoured Muslims over Christians and that it encouraged gay marriages. The clergyman reportedly told a gathering that if passed, the proposed constitution would result in a repeat of the 2007 post-poll violence.