Today was a happy day for the man charged with ethnic contempt because of the infamous ‘Ikamba’ after Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria paid his cash bail.
John Gichiri who says he is a mechanic in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) was charged last week on 12th and has been in custody for failing to pay Sh 700,000 granted as cash bail.
Gichiri denied three charges of ethnic contempt before Milimani Law courts Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi.
The song is believed to be aimed at stirring hatred between the Kamba and Kikuyu communities.
The court heard that lines in the song translate translated to English mean: “Be cursed, mangoes are getting finished. It’s a matter of time before you start eating termites. Be cursed, it’s a matter of time before you start eating birds”.
“Kamba land is a place of starvation. We stop buying charcoal you die”.
“[If] you want to see a Kamba just go where there are tyres. Hard jobs are theirs.”
Moses Kuria’s lawyers went before the magistrate who reduced the suspect’s bail from Sh 700,000 to Sh 250,000, which according to the MP was still a lot of money for a person in Gichiri’s position.
While addressing journalist outside the courts after his release, Moses Kuria said Gichiri is not the culprit behind the song and was unfair to be granted such a huge amount as bail which he can’t afford as a mechanic.
“Gichiri is just a simple mechanic and was not behind the song. People like Charity Ngilu are still walking around free. All the authorities did was summon her to NCIC, Kuria said.”
On his part, Gichiri said he was grateful for what the MP did for him and asked God to bless him to continue helping people.
He said he has nothing to do with the song and believes he was wrongfully arrested.
Gichiri was bonded by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) who said they were still hunting for others involved.
The song is said to be offensive and to castigate Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, who imposed ban on charcoal trade to conserve the environment.
The case will be heard on April 11.
