Published on January 12, 2025 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 1 year by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has warned youth misusing social media that they will be arrested and prosecuted.
Murkomen said: “I understand there is freedom of speech and I understand a crime and a threat to commit a crime. There is enough in the provision in the Penal Code to charge with. We will not hesitate to do so as this country must operate under law and order.”
Murkomen’s promise for arrest and prosecution of those government perceives as misusing social media comes a day after President William Ruto spoke strongly against cases of social media users depicting him and other leaders in coffins, warning that it was a dangerous path and that some unnamed political leaders were misusing the youth for it.
“I want to ask those who are encouraging young people to continue this trend where they are putting people in coffins to be careful so that we don’t build a generation that is going to self-destruct. We must tell our young people that good morals, good character pays.
“Instead of using the internet to have pictures, images of people in coffins, use the internet to monetize and create jobs for yourself, earn money and make your lives better. Having coffins will not help you in any way and it will do nothing to nobody,” President Ruto said in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County on Friday January 10.
“Today, you will have the leaders in coffins; next, you will have your parents, your own siblings, or even your friends. Next time, who knows? You risk starting to contemplate about murder.”
Murkomen issued the warning on Saturday January 11, 2025 in Siongiroi, Chepalungu constituency Bomet county during the funeral service for Ian Kiprotich Singoei, a 26-year-old engineer whose body was found floating in Mwiki river, Kasarani after he went missing for four days.
Ian went missing on New Year’s Day and his lifeless body was discovered four days later following a search by family, friends, members of the public and the police.
He was the son of Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner Dr John Korir and Ms Pauline Chemutai Korir, the Bomet County Chief Officer for Gender and Social Services.
Singoe’s family has said he died by drowning and his death was unrelated to the wave of abductions.
