Viideo of Kiambu Governor Kabogo speech sparks social media outrage

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo during a prayer rally at Ruiru stadium on September 13, 2015. A video clip showing the Kiambu governor delivering a speech last Sunday at Thika Stadium has provoked social media outrage after it went viral. PHOTO | RAPHAEL NJOROGE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Mr Kabogo says “all that about starting violence in Kenya is wrong but we are not afraid. I’m not declaring war”.
• The video was taken last Sunday at celebrations to mark musician John De Mathew’s (John Ng’ang’a) 30 years in the music industry.

By JOHN NGIRACHU
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A video clip showing Kiambu Governor William Kabogo delivering a speech has provoked social media outrage after it went viral.

The video, which was taken last Sunday at celebrations to mark musician John De Mathew’s (John Ng’ang’a) 30 years in the music industry, shows Mr Kabogo making controversial statements which social media users claim to be hate speech.

Mr Kabogo is recorded speaking in Swahili and Kikuyu at the function that was held at Thika Stadium.

Some social media users have compared his statements to those by former Nairobi mayor George Aladwa, Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, all of whom are facing hate speech-related charges in court.

WHAT LEAD TO #ARRESTKABOGO

In the clip, Mr Kabogo says “all that about starting violence in Kenya is wrong but we are not afraid. I’m not declaring war”.

“Is that true? But I said recently to Muthama; don’t try again to insult President Kenyatta. If you do, I will come for you even if you are in your mother’s house.”

“They should give birth to a boy who they can insult as they wish but they won’t do it to Uhuru. Everyone is insulting him. If you go to social media, they even have bad pictures of him. They are mannerless. They should know we have had enough (of our patience),” the Kiambu Governor adds.

He continued: “Nyinyi watu wa magazeti mwambie Raila awache mambo ya upuzi. Sisi hatutaki upuzi. Na kama wanataka kupeleka watu kortini mimi niko tayari na niko na pesa ya kujitetea (You media people should tell Raila to stop being a nuisance. And if they want to take people to court, I am ready to go, I have the money to defend myself)”.

In the final seconds of the short video, Mr Kabogo makes reference to Gikuyu society’s derision of uncircumcised boys and goes on to say that the failure to undergo the rite of passage leads to mental underdevelopment.

The video emerged on Saturday and #ArrestKabogo hashtag was trending on Twitter on Sunday. It had generated 4,307 posts by midday Sunday