Eight arrested in connection with hate leaflets in Rift Valley

Eight suspects have been arrested in connection with hate leaflets warning certain communities to vote in a particular manner in Rift Valley.

Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said a security review is ongoing to resolve growing anxiety in two regions of the Rift Valley.

Additionally, he said that none of the eight individuals are employees of the office of the president as claimed by Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate William Ruto.

“We have 8 suspects who we suspected of sharing the leaflets and they should be taken to court, none of those people are employees of the president,” Matiang’i said.

“We are doing a security review, especially in view of occurrences of a bit of anxiety in one or two regions of the rift valley,” he added.

Matiang’i stated that the National Security Council has directed the deployment of additional resources.

“I confirm that the national security council has ordered more resources, you will see more of our security teams in Molo, Kuresoi, and Nessuit just to be ready to rise up to any challenge,” Matiang’i added.

According to Matiang’i, security teams will increase patrol at the Uasin Gishu and Eldoret borders, including the deployment of additional aerial resources if any challenges arise.

The leaflets contained threats that compelled people to vote for a specific faction in the August 9 general election.

Ruto claimed that leaflets coercing people to support a particular faction were distributed by people from the office of the President.

Speaking in Eldoret today, the DP said that he knows the people behind the distribution of the leaflets.

“Those who are sponsoring evil, those who are sponsoring pamphlets, we know you,” Ruto said.

He called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to warn certain individuals at his office to desist from causing unrest in the country.

“The DCI tried to bring issues of post-election violence, he was told off by the president. I want to tell my friend President, the same way you told off DCI boss George Kinoti when he started that nonsense of post-election violence please tell off the characters at the office of the president who is now printing pamphlets to cause disharmony in the Republic of Kenya, they need to stop because they are not about to succeed,” he said.

Interior Principal Karanja Kibicho revealed that the government was aware of leaflets containing warnings targeted at the electorate in certain areas.

He said the messages warned of dire consequences should the electorate fail to vote for certain candidates during the August 9 General Election.

“To our dismay, we’re aware of leaflets warnings the electorate of dire consequences should they fail to vote for certain candidates on August 9,” Kibicho said on his Twitter handle.

Kibicho warned that those behind such threats will be dealt with in accordance with law adding that a multi-agency team had already been dispatched to handle the matter.

“A multi-agency security team is pursuing the authors and distributors of the leaflets for a swift and deserved date with the justice system,” he stated.