Musician Behind 'Ikamba' Song Charged with Ethnic Contempt, Freed on Sh700,000 Cash Bail
One of the musicians who released the infamous 'Ikamba' song that mocked the Kamba community was on Monday charged with ethnic contempt.
However, appearing before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, the artiste, John Gichiri, denied the charges and was freed on a Sh1 million bond with a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Sh 700,000.
The prosecution told the court that the song was aimed at stirring ethnic hatred between the Kamba and Kikuyu communities.
“On unknown date at an unknown place within the republic of Kenya, jointly with other not before the court, while singing a song titled Ikamba uttered words which were intended to incite feeling of contempt against two communities,” prosecution said.
The court heard that lines in the Kikuyu song translate to: "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."
Gichira, together with a co-artiste released the song in reaction to the ban on charcoal burning in Kitui by Governor Charity Ngilu.
The judge set April 11th as his trial date.
Comments (10)
When politicians utter reckless and inciting words like Raila's comments at Kajiado west-"---wenye inchi na wenye wanafaa kurudi kwao " those who own the land and those who should return to where they came from, and Kalonzo' "kikuyus watalala kama mbahasha, they walk free and theirs is considered freedom of speech, lakini, kwa wananchi wa kawaida, hiyo ni ethnic contempt. We can't accept such double standard. This young man expressed himself and did no physical criminal act yet, Ngilu openly and on print,audio and video told people to burn charcoal carrying vehicles and she is still free even after ordering a crime of arson. We keep talking about trampled up electro justice, what about fairness under the law. This young man should go home free-and continue with his God given blessing of being an artist.
Hi, what happened to the Sh50,000 bond that they charge the politicians. Remember Babu Owino, Kanjwang etc. But for this young man they really brought the sword down. Just a thought.
But politicians who do the same are released on kshs 20,000 bond.
Double standards are unacceptable. We know no one is above the law and law breakers must be punished equally. So, if you are going to let politicians go scotch free, then this young man must be let go scotch free. There is no crime here because you have already set the standards of not punishing the politicians.
We as ordinary Kenyans need to come together n fight this super class politicians.Ngilu incited pple until they burned the truck what have happened to ngilu????We need to revisit our judiciary as Uhuru stated n am disappointed by the kiambu mpigs,senators who never stood up with this truck guy??Trust me if ngilu don’t pay that 13million ksh truck I will hear things n it will b ugly.
This is a travesty, double standard and the punishment does not fit! This is totally unfair! Politicians and the elites get a pass then an idiot want to sacrifice this young man while we are watching! Where are the 'elite NASA' lawyers to help this guy out, i will raise the funds.
This ikamba song was in response to Charity Ngilu's incitement of kamba against the Gikuyu community. When Ngilu incited her community and asked them to burn charcoal carrying lorries belonging to the Gikuyu community, had the law been applied then the artist would not have reacted. The artist song is in self-defense. Let the law work for all Kenyans equally or not at all. If it doesn't, people will continue expressing themselves. Set this musician free and grab the actual criminal in this case, Ngilu herself who ordered the crime. Charcoal burning has always been a legal business in Kenya. If Ngilu wants to stop it, she should introduce such law in Parliament. Not ordering crime. Set the young man free. Our judiciary is stooping so low and looking funny. Soon no one will believe in it.
The law was put in place to work on the common man and as such the poor mwananchi,not mwenyenchi has to get it done that way!
And where are human rights activists too? This bond amount is insane compared to what politicians get, not forgetting that the singer was responding to what Ngilu had already said, almost similar but even worse
If the judiciary remains partial, it may be time to translate all laws into local languages so that each community can solve it's own issues. Or another alternative is to have a jury system where no one individual will ever make a ruling individually. Our judiciary may be on trial now, if it cannot rule fairly,and remains corrupt, even the judiciary is not above the law. Languages are an inheritance from the creator. They should be used to overrule foreign corruption in law in our country!!