It was a day for celebration for Korogocho’s Member of the County Assembly, Absalom Odhiambo, also known by his nickname Matakwey. The Nairobi Court had just granted him a Ksh100,000 cash bail and set him free! The MCA was all smiles as he stepped out of the courtroom, not a care in the world. Matakwey was charged with two counts of incitement to violence, but he pleaded not guilty, of course!
“The Matakwey Mystery Unfolds: A Case of Incitement or Just a Misunderstood Motivational Speech?”
It all started on January 25, 2022, when Matakwey addressed some opposition members at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation House in Kilimani, Nairobi. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) accused Matakwey of incitement to violence and acting in offensive conduct, alleging that he suggested to the opposition leaders to get President William Ruto out of the State House. But it wasn’t until February 1, when a Milimani Court Magistrate, Gilbert Shikwe, ordered Matakwey’s unconditional release, arguing that the incitement charge wasn’t based on existing law.
But wait, it’s not over yet! Just a day later, Matakwey was arrested again, this time while at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) offices where he had been summoned. The DCI officers asked the court to detain Matakwey for an additional 10 days for further investigations. But Matakwey’s lawyer, Apollo Mboya, claimed that the arrest was unlawful and revealed that the officers informed him that they had instructions from above.
It all came to a head when Azimio party leader Raila Odinga issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the DCI to release Matakwey before Monday, February 6. Raila was alarmed by the concerns raised by Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino, who claimed that Matakwey was being held at the Tigoni police station in Kiambu.
And just like that, Matakwey was a free man again! What a wild ride it’s been for the Matakwey Man. But the question remains: was it a case of incitement or just a misunderstood motivational speech? Only time will tell!
