Get used to bloggers and move on, Uhuru tells Maraga

Deal with the bloggers and their trolls, President Uhuru Kenyatta has told Chief Justice David Maraga.

Maraga had earlier on Friday complained that bloggers were posting photo-shopped pictures of him massaging some corruption suspects.

“Like today, I have been showed on social media naked…we are not going to win the war on corruption with such gimmicks,” Maraga said.

But Uhuru speaking at the Anti-Corruption Conference at Bomas of Kenya on Friday, hit back at the CJ telling him that he has a problem and must deal with it.

“Bwana CJ we tried passing some law to help us restrain these people (bloggers) but the court told us it was unconstitutional. Like the rest of us, get used to it,”  Uhuru said amid laughter.

“We got used it. So get used to it and move on.” 

Uhuru said everybody should clean their own houses in regards to the corruption cases before they are trolled on social media.

“JSC must decide whether to clean up the house for themselves or for them. I went back to the drawing board…kaza kamba bwana Maraga na utaona vile kutaenda [tighten your belt CJ and you will see changes],” Uhuru said.

“Jameni uko na tabu lakini tutasaidiana kuondoa hiyo taabu na tutasaidiana [I think you have a problem my friend… and you will have to deal with them..].”

The President appealed to bloggers to highlight issues affecting Kenyans but refrain from insults.

“Please stop the insults and instead if you have something to say, say it in a proper manner,” he added.

Last year, the court temporarily suspended enforcement of the new Cybercrime Law which would have seen social media users jailed for 20 years for some of their posts.

The bloggers protested saying that the law curtailed their freedom of expression and aimed at muzzling its members.

The temporary order seen as a win for freedom of expression suspended 25 sections of the law which were meant to come to force on May 30 last year.

The order was given by High Court judge Chacha Mwita after an application filed by Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE).

Read; Cybercrime law: You’ll pay Sh200,000 fine for not returning M-Pesa money

Also read: Court halts enforcement of Cybercrimes law

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