Starehe MP Charles Kanyi Njagua, known as Jaguar, will spend the weekend in police remand while the DCI investigates alleged inciteful and xenophobic remarks.
Senior resident magistrate Sinyikan Tobiko ruled on Friday that the legislator will be held for three more working days at the Kileleshwa police station. She denied the DCI's request to hold the MP for 14 days at Kamukunji police station.
“I allow for continued detention. However, 14 days is too long. I direct the respondent be held for ... today, Monday and Tuesday,” Tobiko said at a Milimani law court. Courts are closed on weekends, so Jaguar will spend five days in police cells.
The MP was arrested on Wednesday.
The magistrate said that Jaguar being an influential individual and his likelihood to interfere with witnesses were compelling reasons to detain him.
Jaguar is accused of making xenophobic remarks in a video that went viral on social media. He apparently was captured threatening to invade the premises of foreigners doing business in the CBD, which is within his constituency.
Local traders have complained that 'outsiders' were hurting their business.
The MP had issued Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i with a 24-hour ultimatum to deport all Chinese nationals and other foreigners doing business in Gikomba.
DCI detective Jeremiah Ndubai said investigations had established that Jaguar was planning to mobilise criminal gangs to invade private property and attack foreign nationals in the city.
"The inciting utterances pose a great risk to the security and economy of the country and region," Ndubai said in an affidavit.
Nairobi businessman Paul Kobia, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Langata MP Nixon Korir and musician Ringtone Apoko turned up to show solidarity with Jaguar.
Following Jaguar’s detention, Owino urged the government to protect the small-scale traders in the county and not to harass them.
Embakasi Central MP Francis Mureithi said that he is preparing to introduce a bill in Parliament to increase the business fee of Sh20 million for foreign investors to Sh50 million.
(Edited by V. Graham)
