Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been arrested by officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in Nairobi.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, his lawyer Ndegwa Njiru confirmed that the former Governor was going around his business along the Eastern Bypass when he was ambushed.

Waititu is currently being held at DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road in Nairobi in the company of his lawyer as well as former CS Eugene Wamalwa. 

''My client has been arrested by officers from the DCI and we are currently at the DCI headquarters here in Nairobi,’’ Ndegwa told Kenyans.co.ke.

Waititu was accused of allegedly making hate speech remarks during a past event in his native Kikuyu language at a function in Kiambu County.

‘’They have informed us that they arrested him because of an utterance of hate speech that they alleged he made in his native Kikuyu language,’’ Ndegwa added.

The lawyer revealed that the apprehension by the detectives from the DCI was just a move meant to have the former Governor incriminate himself in the allegations and direct his client to remain silent as per the provision of the Constitution of Kenya.

He added that the arrest had nothing to do with the allegations maintaining that the officers were acting on ill motives meant to curtail the freedom of expression as enshrined in the law.

‘’I have instructed him to remain silent because the claims are not valid and it seems this is a move to curtail the freedom of expression for my client as enshrined in the constitution,’’ he stated.

According to his legal team, the officers handling the matter insisted on having their client at their facility as they moved to complete preliminary investigations.

Ndegwa added that they were following up on the matter with the detectives to have their client released from custody.

''We have asked them to admit him on bail or bond and we are still here awaiting further directions,'' he told this writer.

Waititu, an ally of embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, showed open support for the second in command in the past, a likely cause of his arrest.