Detectives arrested William Ochieng in Nairobi over alleged posts targeting Kikuyu residents in the Rift Valley.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested a Facebook user over alleged threats and ethnic incitement. The DCI arrests report identifies the suspect as William Ochieng, whom detectives detained in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
Investigators allege that Ochieng published inflammatory messages targeting members of the Kikuyu community living in the Rift Valley. The posts allegedly called on them to leave the region before the 2027 General Election.
Investigators link suspect to Facebook account
The DCI said Ochieng operates a Facebook account under the name “William Jahome”. It alleges that messages published through the account contained threats, incitement to violence and ethnic targeting.
Detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau investigated the posts alongside the Operations Action Team at DCI headquarters. Their investigations led to Ochieng’s arrest in the city centre.
Officers then escorted him to DCI headquarters for further processing. He remains in custody pending arraignment in court.
DCI arrests follow warning on online incitement
The arrest comes as security agencies raise concerns about inflammatory social media messages ahead of the August 2027 election. Those concerns include the potential for online content to heighten ethnic tensions.
The DCI also cautioned the public against using digital platforms to issue threats or encourage violence. Its warning extended to content promoting hostility against particular ethnic communities.
The Directorate said it remained committed to protecting lives, maintaining public order and safeguarding national security during election preparations. It further warned that people engaging in unlawful online activities would face action under the law.
However, the allegations against Ochieng have not been determined in court. He remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
