Naivasha Member of Parliament Jayne Kihara has suffered a major setback after the High Court dismissed her request to stop the criminal case against her.
She had petitioned the court to halt proceedings initiated by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), but the judge ruled that the DPP acted lawfully in filing the charges.
The court maintained that there was enough legal basis for the case to proceed and declined to interfere with the DPP’s constitutional powers to prosecute.
The case will now move forward, with Kihara expected to take a plea on charges related to alleged incitement remarks. During her appearance at the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday, Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi directed her to respond formally to accusations of offensive conduct.
Tensions ran high inside the courtroom prior to the ruling, as a group of Kihara’s supporters began chanting “wantam” slogans, disrupting proceedings in protest against what they described as an unfair legal battle targeting the MP.
Speaking outside the court shortly after the ruling, Kihara defended herself, saying the case was politically driven. “This is pure political persecution. I don’t even know who I allegedly incited because I was simply addressing journalists,” she said. “I was part of the convoy that came under attack on Sunday. If highlighting critical issues is being treated as incitement, then I will not stop speaking out.”
Just two weeks earlier, Kihara had been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over accusations that she undermined the authority of a public officer.
A letter from Assistant Inspector General of Police George Lenny Kisaka indicated that Kihara was under investigation for allegedly spreading inciteful or disruptive statements, which may violate Section 132 of the Penal Code.
This section criminalizes actions or speech seen as undermining government authority.
The MP, however, ignored the summons. In response, DCI officers raided her home in Maraigushu and arrested her, an incident she streamed live on social media. In the video, detectives are seen storming her compound before taking her into custody.
Following her arrest, Kihara was released on a Ksh50,000 personal bond. She later claimed the charges were part of a broader political plot to silence her. Speaking after her release, she also took aim at President William Ruto and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, whom she accused of betrayal.
“I want to tell President Ruto: with Ichung’wah as your ally, you don’t need another enemy,” she declared. “That man has wronged Kenyans. He insulted me and told me to act my age.”
The unfolding legal and political drama continues to place the embattled Naivasha MP at the center of national attention, as she prepares to face the court over charges that could shape her political future.
Join Gen Z New WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
