Political and religious leaders warned yesterday that the country was headed on a dangerous path that could lead to turmoil because of increasing incidents of hate speech.

The warning came as Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno, who was yesterday charged with incitement to violence, risked becoming the first casualty of reckless talk after his party Kanu demanded he resigns, failing which it would initiate a process to expel him.

Party secretary-general Nick Salat said the party was dismayed by the MP’s actions and did not wish to be associated with him.

Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai (pictured) said he had given firm instructions to all police officers to deal decisively with political leaders propagating hate speech.

“The National Police Service will live no opportunity to any leader intending to incite the general public to violence. Such incitement shall be faced with the full force of the law,” Mutyambai warned.

The IG said police will work with other law enforcement agencies to take action against individuals and groups attempting to cause a breach of the peace and threaten national safety and security.

Reacting to the issue, ODM leader Raila Odinga warned of a plot by some politicians to take Kenya to war ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Raila said that previous tribal skirmishes that have been witnessed in the country started as a result of incitement by leaders, warning that the trend currently taking shape was likely to lead to a similar situation.

“The country has been at war before and should not be taken there again, by leaders who are propagating their own interests,” warned Raila.

Ng’eno, who was arrested on Monday, was yesterday charged in a Nakuru court with uttering unsavoury remarks against President Uhuru Kenyatta and former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi also made disparaging remarks against the President and his family. Salat said Kanu did not wish to be associated with the likes of Nge’no who were hate mongers bound to incite communities to chaos.

“The party cannot tolerate this kind of uncivilised conduct from a person who carries its flag and benefits from its brand,” he said.

DP William Ruto has since disowned the statements made by his two allies and cautioned leaders against expressing themselves through insults.

Ruto took to his official twitter account to condemn the sentiments made by Ng’eno and Sudi who are allied to him saying that “no amount of anger justifies the use of offensive insulting language” to the President.

Kitale Catholic bishop Anthony Maurice Crowley told politicians in the two emerging divides to desist from issuing statements that were likely to inflame animosity among Kenyans.

“The Church takes great exception to the remarks made by MPs Ng’eno and Sudi and Environment CS Keriako Tobiko. We are nearing the election year and this is likely to cause disharmony between communities,” said Crowley in Kitale.

The bishop said it was “extraordinarily dangerous” for politicians to use careless comments with the aim of creating a polarised and volatile atmosphere.

He told the People Daily that use of words demeaning the First Family had left many Kenyans worried since the President does not deserve such humiliation.

Speaking after a consultative meeting with leaders from the Maa community yesterday, Raila said nobody should dare push the country to violence, saying Kenya has had enough in the previous elections.

Members of the National Security and Administration in the National Assembly asked Ruto to apologise to the President and the former First Lady since those who uttered the offending words were his close allies.

“Tweeting is not enough, we expect the DP to unequivocally issue an apology to the President since it is clear that the two MPs are his supporters,” said Paul Koinange, the committee chairman.

Koinange said the committee will be calling on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to deliberate on how to amend the law to make penalties tighter for hate mongers.