The Office of the Director Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has warned hate mongers and inciters saying they will be dealt with according to the law.
Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (SADPP), Mr Moses Omirera says that the of office of the DPP will fearlessly implement the Election Act that provides stiff punishment for election offenders.
Speaking during a media sensitization on election preparedness at Machakos University on Tuesday, Mr Omirera said that the DPP has put in place a raft of measures to monitor, track down and prosecute election offenses including hate speech and incitement.
He revealed that the DPP has trained and deployed 105 special prosecutors to prosecute election related offenses across the country.
He added that the DPP has established a 24 hour call center and secretariat to monitor hate mongers during the campaign period and the subsequent August polls.
Mr Omirera also revealed that the office has established an election and hate speech unit headed by a senior prosecutor to fast track prosecution of election related offenses.
“It is not going to be business as usual this time round as inciters, hate mongers and election offenders will be dealt with ruthlessly,” he said.
Omirera also said that the DPP is working closely with other state agencies to ensure peaceful August 8 polls.
“We have partnered with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Judiciary and the Criminal Investigation Department (DCI) to crack the whip on election offenders and ensure peaceful general election,” he said.
Omirera at the same time revealed that the DPP has prosecuted 62 election related cases involving an aspiring governor, an MP and two sitting Member of County Assemblies (MCA’s).
He said that 31 of the cases related to the recently concluded party nominations are still pending in court.
Mr Omirera appealed to the media and individual journalists to with the office in nailing down inciters.
He said that media has often been reluctant in providing evidence in incitement related cases leading to acquittal of suspects.