Raila Odinga hate speech suit adjourned to September

Nairobi, Kenya: The criminal case filed against CORD leader Raila Odinga over alleged hate speech will be heard on September 2.

The suit which has been filed by a private citizen, Aron Pesa Shayo, at the Kibera law Courts was to be heard last Tuesday, but could not proceed as the day was declared a public holiday.

Kibera Resident Magistrate Brian Khaemba Wednesday told the parties to appear for hearing on the newly set date since the date previously set had collided with the Eid-ul-fitr celebrations.

Kiharu MP Irungu Kang'ata, who is representing Shayo appeared Wednesday before the court for the mention.

The court on June 17 directed the petitioners to enjoin the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko in the suit.

Khaemba had argued that it was the responsibility of the DPP to order the arrest of people cited in such cases.

He ordered Shayo to amend his application and include the DPP as a respondent.

Shayo had claimed that he attended a rally in Kisumu on January 17 where Raila allegedly made hate remarks directed at President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Shayo had earlier filed a private application to prosecute Raila over alleged hate remarks he made during the rally.

Kang'ata said those making hate speech utterances should face the law.

Court documents indicate that Mr Kang'ata first wrote a letter on January 28 to the DPP on behalf of Shayo, complaining that Raila uttered inflammatory words at a rally allegedly attended by the petitioner on January 17 at Kisumu's Kenyatta Sports Grounds.

"Those who continue to make hate speech utterances should be prosecuted because those words lead to tribal violence," said Kang'ata as he spoke to journalists outside the court.

He also added that he has gathered enough evidence that he will rely on to nail the CORD leader.