Since early Wednesday morning, a popular hashtag #FreeBabaYao was launched and became the second-highest trending topic in Kenya on Twitter.
The Kiambu Governor spent the fourth night in remand after he was charged alongside his wife and senior county government officials in Milimani Law Courts for irregularly awarding tenders amounting to Sh588 million.
Imagine being under so much pressure after being charged with corruption publicly before the eyes of your people. Imagine that the allegations that you have robbed your people are so bad (and so credible) that they may affect your chances at re-election next general election.
The hashtag got a very sour response from netizens who are very bitter about the charges the governor is facing.
Here’s a selection of the day’s top #FreeBabaYao tweets.
Waititu is now out on bail , and he is being misadvised by turn boys and sycophants that he can leave remand and go hold a cabinet meeting despite clear court orders.
Akijaribu that 15 million bail will be cancelled before he can finish his first non-prison meal#FreeBabaYao
— Polycarp Hinga® 🇰🇪 (@PolycarpHinga) August 1, 2019
Do you know how Many Cancer Centres 558Million Can build, how Many guys pushing #FreeBabaYao have 10k in their bank accounts her daughter has 100M stolen from you, as you struggle to pay Tala and branch my friends we should be putting pressure on Asset Recovery unit
— wangari Gaitho (@wangari_gaitho) August 1, 2019
Hustler nation forever. No turning back until they #FreeBabayao. Boy child President nimesema. Ama niongeze volume? pic.twitter.com/6ppAuArwZ0
— Cyrus Nyakundi 🇰🇪 (@Nyakundii_) August 1, 2019
Good people, sometimes lets not be led by our stomachs. Who are these people pushing #FreeBabaYao nonsense? Do they know hospitals in Kiambu have no medicine? We should instead promote #JailBabaYao
— Peter Kiragu (@peterkiragu) August 1, 2019
Imagine saying #FreeBabaYao whereas her daughter’s Account was found worth millions of cash yet her daughter is young, can’t afford that crazy amount of money at that age and you think he is innocent? Baba Yao should face a life imprisonment! We should pull a CHINA!!
— CYMOH ™🇰🇪 ❁ (@ProfCymOhAFC) August 1, 2019
You cant be out there shouting fir the jailing of Waititu and youre not even a resident of Kiambu. Sisi ndio tunaumia.#FreeBabayao pic.twitter.com/VVznPB6Gyy
— Josoh Numbercruncher (@Mtkenyafinest) August 1, 2019
You have to understand that in Kenya, you must not break the law to be arrested or sent to jail. There are people who, if you don’t share same ideologies with them, they will smartly script your way down. That’s why i remain open minded. viewing from different angles#FreeBabayao
— NaiBlogger (@naiblogger) August 1, 2019
If Ferdinand Waititu Wants to be Free let him either Move Corruption away from him or Move the Prison away from him. He can as well decide to move away from corruption or move himself away from the prison. Meanwhile let the Reggae Continue Loud and clear. #FreeBabaYao is a Joke.
— BRAVIN™ (@ItsBravin) August 1, 2019
The last time Waitutu Babayao tried to invite Chief priest of corruption, Ruto in Githurai, Kiambu County to sanitize him, he was totally shut down. No amount of campaigns should sanitize a thief. Mwizi ni Mwizi #FreeBabayao #TheCostofcorruption pic.twitter.com/SCTEchhLKe
— RETIRED COMRADE (@retired_comrade) August 1, 2019
Now imagine frantically scurrying about to try and make the accusatory glances of the people look away from your shameful behaviour and the fact that you took wealth from their pockets and put it into your own. That is the situation that Kiambu governor finds himself in as the ethics and anti-corruption indicts him for corruption.