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An Eldoret court has allowed police to detain nine Moi University students for three days after they were arrested in connection with circulating hate posts through their WhatsApp group.

The leaflets which have sparked tension in the North Rift region warned certain communities against voting in a certain way in next week’s polls.

Eldoret Principal Magistrate Onkoba Mogire ordered that the students be detained at the Langas Police Station for three days as investigations continue.

The students were arrested on Monday at Moi University’s main campus in Kesses in Uasin Gishu county after they circulated pictures of leaflets via a WhatsApp group, according the charge sheet.

The arrests came as Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i confirmed that the National Security Council had approved the deployment of more General Service Unit (GSU) officers to parts of the North Rift following the circulation of leaflets threatening members of some communities in the region. 

“We are placing more personnel on the ground in Molo, Kuresoi and Nessuit among other places around the region, there are not here for any particular aggression, but to assure wananchi that the government is ready to rise up to any challenge that may come up,” said Matiang’i. 

In their plea, the students objected to their detention, telling the court that they were not the original authors of the leaflets.

They claimed the leaflets originated from Central Kenya and that they had already told police the original author.

“The leaflets came to our WhatsApp group through another social media source. We should not be sacrificed but police (should) go for the original author and release us to continue with our studies,” one of the suspects, Beatrice Wangari Kumari pleaded with the magistrate.

 While requesting to detain the students, investigating officer Sophia Ibrahim from the Langas Police Station informed the court that the leaflets contained information warning certain communities to immediately leave Cheplaskei and Kesses in Uasin Gishu if they will not vote for Deputy President William Ruto.The leaflets also further urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to leave the DP alone.

“Investigations are still going on to establish the original authors and whether more suspects were involved. Due to the nature of the offence, the suspects are likely to be charged with, they could interfere with investigations if released,” Ibrahim told the court.

State security

She said that the respondents were a flight risk as the investigating officer did not know their original homes.“The matter is of public interest and touches on the security of the State during this this election period,” argued the officer.

 On her part, State counsel Patricia Kirui urged the magistrate to allow the request, noting that the investigation was complex and required the involvement of several other state agencies.

Investigators also argued that the suspects would be in danger if released.

 Kirui told the court that sharing such leaflets through social media or any other medium is illegal under the National Cohesion and Integration (NCIC) Act. 

The magistrate directed police to detain the suspects for three days at the Langas Police Station. The case will be mentioned on August 5.

Speaking in Molo after holding a two-hour closed-door meeting with all security bosses within the region yesterday, Matiang’i said the government was committed to safeguarding the lives and properties of all residents in the region. 

“The deployment will also be done in Uasin Gishu and we will increase our surveillance and patrol along the borders of this region and neighbouring regions and so residents should be calm and confident that we will go ahead with elections without any problems,” he said. 

While noting that the country had witnessed a fairly peaceful campaign season, Matiang’i without mentioning names singled out leaders fanning tension with sensational claims terming the same as unfortunate and unbecoming of national leaders.

 “The country has been calm and we would like to remain this way. Every Kenyan whether they live in the region or elsewhere need to understand that they are free to go and vote without intimidation and fear of any kind,”  he said. 

In addition, Matiang’i urged the political class to be responsible in their utterances saying they should not polarise the nation.