The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Former Kitui Governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu has strongly condemned the arrest of local blogger Emmanuel Maleve, terming it a shameful and undemocratic act.
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In a statement shared on her official Facebook page, Ngilu expressed deep concern over what she described as an attempt to silence freedom of expression through intimidation and political interference.
“I have received disheartening reports of the shameful arrest of blogger Emmanuel Maleve in Kitui town,” she wrote. “Surely, the days when politicians could threaten, intimidate, and even try to gag people from their democratic right of expression, association and movement are long gone.”
Maleve, known for his vocal criticism of local leadership through his digital platform Hopkin Digital, was arrested on Thursday evening by plainclothes officers reportedly from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Kiambu. He was later transferred to Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi, where he is set to be arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts.
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Ngilu has called for his immediate and unconditional release, urging political leaders to respect civil liberties and democratic rights.
“Let Emmanuel be released immediately and unconditionally. Politicians should refrain from using their offices to muzzle people’s democratic rights and space,” Ngilu emphasized. “Kenya is a free nation, and we have come a long way to be taken back to the dark days.”
The arrest has triggered widespread criticism from media and civil society groups, with the Kitui Media Unity (KMU) condemning the move as an attack on press freedom and the constitutionally protected right to free speech.
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The incident adds to growing concerns about the safety and rights of journalists and digital content creators across the country.
