Minister loses bid to halt hate speech charges

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Environment Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere. PHOTO / FILE 

By Nation Reporter
Posted  Monday, September 3  2012 at  12:45

Environment Minister Chirau Mwakwere to face hate speech charges after High Court dismisses his bid to stop trial at the magistrate court.

Justice David Majanja dismissed Mr Mwakwere's application to set the stage for the criminal prosecution of the minister.

The Judge had on Thursday last week temporarily stopped the criminal trial of Mr Mwakwere.

The charge follows complains by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) that Mr Mwakwere engaged in hate speech during campaigns for the Matuga by-elections in 2010.

The minister, who was fighting for the seat after a court nullified his election, allegedly told voters that indigenous Coast residents were being oppressed by Kenyans of Arab descent.

The allegations prompted the NCIC to investigate the minister for hate speech. The commission also supplied evidence against him to the DPP’s office.

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