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Emmanuel Maleve, a Kitui-based blogger, was arrested in a dramatic scene outside a shopping mall in Kitui town on Thursday evening by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and is expected to appear shortly before the Milimani Law Courts.
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His lawyer, Noel Musya, stated that Maleve was taken into custody by plainclothes officers from the DCI headquarters in Kiambu and later detained at Muthaiga Police Station.
“We are still trying to determine the reasons behind his arrest, as we have not yet been given access to the charge sheet,” Musya said. “So far, all we’ve seen is an entry in the Occurrence Book at Muthaiga Police Station indicating he was arrested for allegedly publishing false information on his blog, ‘Hopkin Digital,’ and for cyberbullying. He’s scheduled to be arraigned today.”
Maleve, who has often been vocal about issues in Kitui South Constituency, has had past run-ins with local leaders, including area MP Rachael Kaki. In a recent blog post, he accused the MP of failing to establish a functional NG-CDF oversight committee and demanded scrutiny into the constituency’s use of public funds over the years.
His arrest has drawn strong condemnation, particularly from the Kitui Media Unity (KMU), which called it an act of police intimidation targeting the press.
“KMU condemns the arbitrary arrest of blogger Emmanuel Maleve, also known as Hopkin, by DCI officers. This is a clear violation of press freedom and the constitutional right to free expression as enshrined in Articles 33 and 34 of the Kenyan Constitution,” KMU stated.
KMU described Maleve as “a respected digital journalist and a key voice in the Kitui community,” warning that his arrest without due process or transparency undermines democratic values.
National Liberal Party leader Dr. Augustus Kyalo Muli also criticized the manner in which the arrest was conducted.
“Law enforcement must carry out arrests professionally and with proper identification. The way Maleve was taken — without the knowledge of Kitui Central Police Station officers — resembled an abduction and is deeply troubling,” said Muli.
