NMG’s Macharia Gaitho Blasts President Uhuru After Jailing Of Allan Wadi
The debate on the conviction of a Moi University student, one Allan Wadi Okeng’o, for insulting the president seems far from over after Nation Media Group Editor Macharia Gaitho plunged himself into it with very strong words against the jubilee regime.
In an article in the Nation newspaper, Macharia has blasted the jubilee government for intolerance and gradual drift into dictatorship after what he says is a hurried arrest and conviction of Allan Wadi, a mere university student who does not know how to use the social media correctly.
“The arrest, prosecution, and jailing of the fellow just because of foolish Facebook posts acts as proof of the intolerant and dictatorial regime we are drifting into.”- Macharia Gaitho
Macharia has particularly wondered why the big fish who have committed similar offences before and who tend to support the government are roaming freely in the streets while small fish who make similar mistakes and who tend to oppose the incumbent face the full force of the law.
“There are many other bloggers out there, some on the State’s payroll, who spend all their time and energy hurling similar insults at opposition leader Raila Odinga and suggesting extermination of the entire Luo community. It is not right that one set of social media terrorists have immunity to spread all sorts of criminal vitriol, while those on the opposing side are made to face the full force of the law. For every lot of Alan Wadi, Dikembe Disembe, and Robert Alai on the Cord side, there are Jubilee counterparts in the likes of Mugo wa Wairimu, Moses Kuria, and Jack Muraguri.”- Macharia Gaitho
The editor specifically compared the likes of Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Mugo Wa Wairimu and Jack Muraguri who support the jubilee administration to the likes of Dikembe Disembe, Robert Alai Onyango and Allan Wadi who express opposing views and wondered why the former walked free despite misusing the social media while the latter face the full force of the law when they do the same.
Macharia’s article comes at a time when social media outcry has intensified over what many perceived as an unfair trial of Allan Wadi, which saw him sent into prison for two years.
“The speed with which Wadi was arrested and jailed itself demonstrates that this was treated as a special case because the Kenya Police Service, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Judiciary are not known for swift action on anything.” – Macharia Gaitho
It is, however, understood that the Director of Public Prosecution has ordered for Wadi’s file to review the case.
