The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has formally filed a complaint against Mombasa governor, Hassan Ali Joho, Suna East Member of Parliament, Junet Mohamed, and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party over an edited video clip of Deputy President William Ruto allegedly spewing hate speech.
In a letter addressed to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the party accused Joho, Junet and the ODM party of spreading misinformation on its official social media accounts with the intent to cause disharmony.
UDA, in the letter dated Wednesday, August 3, stated that the official accounts shared a video of Ruto that had been doctored to purport that the second-in-command was inciting people in his Uasin Gishu backyard when he spoke his native language.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho speaking at a rally in Malindi on May 26, 2022.
Courtesy Hassan Joho
“This video is a choreographed version intended to cause, elicit and spread hate, incitement to violence, ethnic discrimination and disharmony,” UDA Secretary General, Veronica Maina, stated.
“The video has also been intentionally edited with a deliberate aim and objective to cause ethnic hatred, fear and intolerance during this peak political season.”
The party urged the NCIC to take tough measures against the three social media accounts by asking the owners to pull down the video as well as suspend the same accounts that shared the clip.
“This is to, therefore, formally lodge a complaint in compliance and in accordance with Section 43 and 44 of the referenced Act of Parliament.
“We implore your office to act immediately and take action with a view to take down the unlawful videos, as well as the suspend the respective accounts propagating hate speech,” the UDA letter read in part.
The UDA Secretary General argued that the three accounts command a large following and disciplinary action should be taken to discourage similar content from being shared online amid heightened electoral activities.
“Their Twitter accounts through which they have published the edited video have a massive following on the platform, and the said videos have been widely shared.
“The deceptive and edited videos have caused and will continue to cause hate, spread paranoia, and incite violence against ethnic communities in the country,” Maina added.
On Tuesday, August 2, Joho and Junet were called to order by Kenyans on Twitter after they shared the video on the official platforms.
Members of the public noted that their actions were irresponsible, especially for leaders of their ranking who command millions of followers on Twitter and Facebook.
Joho posted the edited video on his verified account on Tuesday, slamming DP Ruto for allegedly calling on Uasin Gishu natives to drive out non-indigenous Kenyans from the county should they decide not to back his presidential bid on August 9.
UDA flagbearer William Ruto campaigning in Salgaa, Nakuru county on Monday, August 1, 2022
William Ruto
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