It has been made a heated debate about the line between freedom of expression and insults. Coming hot on the heals following the arrest of Johana Ngeno, MP for Emurua Dikirr who on Monday made utterances against Mama Ngina.
While the MP is spending cold nights in Eldoret police cell over hate speech, many believe his problems have everything to do with his attack on the former First Lady and the mother of the president.
Ng’eno and his counterpart Sudi have faced harsh criticism from many people across the board including the DP who said politics shouldn’t get personal to the level of insulting other people’s mothers. The two didn’t mince their words towards the first family.
Prof. William Maema, a senior partner at Kamau & Maema Advocates (DLA Piper Africa, IKM Advocates) is of the suggestion that the President and their families oils be cushioned from uncouth public utterances using a specific law. He tweeted.
A specific law to protect leaders- especially the President-and their families against uncouth public utterances may not be as outrageous as it sounds. Your right of expression ends where my right to personal dignity starts. Both rights are constitutional and apply to everyone.
— William Maema (@williammaema) September 8, 2020
His sentiment has drawn a lot of harsh criticism including his own colleagues.
Don't go there Prof…it is OUTRAGEOUS…
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) September 8, 2020
If you are afraid of insults; stay away from politics and have your private life and dignity intact. It is not a must for fragile egos to lead a country; the last time we had that; everything crumbled, let us not go down the memory lane…. https://t.co/HZSqkwwPpr
— Inimicus Ignorantiae (@LegalEzra) September 9, 2020
Today in #Dumbfuckery… Reading his bio, you'd think he'd be a voice of reason in educating KOT by explaining using provisions of the law why Johanna Ngeno and Oscar Sudi committed no crime.
See this foolishness he's suggesting @gathara https://t.co/xIu8seWmZP— Kelly Gitahi (@KellyGitahi) September 8, 2020
This is a senior partner in a Law firm thinking like this incase you are looking for a practical illustration of 'no education just training' https://t.co/nqnnQOFV9q
— Ohta Ryota 🇸🇬 (@Ohta_Ryota) September 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/githakawamuhu/status/1303369466114445312?s=21
https://twitter.com/nutmegradio/status/1303396727962165248?s=21