VIDEO: Police arrest Kenyan senator over alleged hate speech

A Kenyan senator, Ledama Olekina, is currently in the custody of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission for questioning after being arrested for allegedly promoting hate speech and "ethnic contempt" in a television interview.

In the TV interview, Mr Olekina appeared to push for repossession of land from certain communities in regions occupied by the Maasai ethnic group.

He also spoke against other communities running for political office in Maasai-dominated regions.

Mr Olekina has defended his comments saying he was speaking for his people who have over the years been downtrodden by "privileged" Kenyans, and their land grabbed by "untouchable" politicians.

But his critics have pointed to the Kenyan constitution which allows Kenyans to live, work and own property in any part of the country, with some warning that his comments could trigger ethnic conflict.

While he was being taken away, having cooperated with the detectives, Olekins said, "a coward dies with 1000 lives but a soldier dies with one, and I'm ready."

BBC