Following the arrest of Kenyan Blogger Abraham Mutai who uses the twitter handle @ItsMutai in Mombasa yesterday, at long last, he has been released where he was held. Mr. Abraham Mutai was released on personal bond and will be required to report to the CID Head Quarters on Monday morning to answer to charges of ‘Misuse of telecommunications equipment and tweets that may cause anxiety.
Mutai’s Charges are misuse of licenced telecoms & posting of tweets that may cause anxiety #FreeMutai @C_NyaKundiH pic.twitter.com/cL1uZiNoZr
— #FreeMutai (@InsecurityKE) January 18, 2015
It started when @ItsMutai was called from his office in Mombasa by the police, telling him that a certain lady had complained about Ksh.3000 which he owed her. Looking back Mr.Mutai says that was the CID’s way to find out where he was yesterday. From there CID found their way to his office. Before arresting him, they said that Isiolo Government was complainant. They were not clear exactly who from Isiolo Government complained. They took him to the CID HQ Mombasa and then to Nairobi Muthaiga Police station.
On his way to Nairobi Before being released the head of the station mentioned in passing his tweets and blogs about the Ivory and the Mandera expose. According to Mutai, he sensed that throughout the detectives were in contact with the Head of CID Mr. Ndegwa Muhoro. They frankly admitted that there was massive support on twitter under the hashtags #Freemutai and #iFreeKe
#InternetFreedomDay Is it real in #Kenya or is it a fallacy? #LetMutaiTweet pic.twitter.com/u6UYbXNLWw
— Raphael Kioko (@RaphaelKioko2) January 18, 2015
RT @ItsMutai :Today is internet Freedom Day. iSupport Internet Freedom in Kenya. #iFreeKe #LetMutaiTweet https://t.co/y7KP4ubMFj
— Kevin Lagat Esq. (@Kevinkimlagat) January 18, 2015
This comes at a time when the world marks Internet Freedom Day on 18th January. Kenyans online took to their platforms to not only express their solidarity with Mutai but also mark this day reflecting on the internet freedoms that are now becoming less and less not only for Kenyan bloggers but also for any Kenyan with dissent views on the current government.
[CREATIVE WRITING] No longer at ease! Why we are now no longer free on the internet #iFreeKe: … http://t.co/WmKAtEg8Oe via @potentash
— Top Kenyan Blogs (@Blogs_Kenya) January 18, 2015
[…] over his blog posts and tweets regarding corruption in Isiolo County. The arrest and calls for the release of Mutai enabled us create as much awareness on the need for better internet freedoms in Kenya as well as […]