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Former Kitui County Governor Hon. Charity Kaluki Ngilu has strongly condemned the arrest of local journalist and blogger Emmanuel Maleve, calling it a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence voices of dissent. Ngilu demanded the immediate release of Maleve, who was arrested on Thursday by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kitui Town.
Maleve, affiliated with Hopkin Digital Media, was reportedly taken into custody without a clear explanation and is currently being held at Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi.
In a statement seen by the Lower Eastern Digital Media, Ngilu decried the action as a relic of authoritarianism that has no place in a democratic society.
“I have read from this wall of the shameful arrest of one of our bloggers, Emmanuel Maleve. Surely, days are long gone when politicians could threaten and intimidate, and even try to gag people from their democratic right of expression, association, and movement,” Ngilu stated.
She further urged authorities to refrain from using their positions of power to stifle dissent and curtail freedom of speech. “Let Emmanuel be released immediately. And let people refrain from using their offices to muzzle others’ democratic right, space, and sharing of their opinion,” she added.
Ngilu’s remarks have sparked public debate in Kitui and beyond, with human rights activists and media freedom advocates echoing her call for accountability and the upholding of constitutional rights.
The circumstances surrounding Maleve’s arrest remain unclear, and authorities have yet to issue an official statement. Meanwhile, civil society groups are urging for transparency and due process to be followed in the matter.
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