Popular TikTok content creator and businessman Godfrey Mwasiaga, known online as Kakan Maiyo, has been arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The DCI confirmed his apprehension, alleging that Maiyo incited violence against police officers and their families through a viral video posted on his TikTok account.
Detectives reportedly tracked Maiyo to Kimathi House in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where he operates a logistics firm named LetaPeleka Logistics.
A video circulating online shows plain-clothed officers forcefully removing him from his office.
Maiyo, who boasts over 25,000 followers on TikTok, frequently uses his platform to address issues such as police brutality and governance failures.
While the DCI did not specify the exact video leading to his arrest, a recent clip on his page directly implored DCI officers to cease abducting unarmed Kenyans and to consider their families.
This arrest comes as the Kenyan government intensifies its efforts to counter what it terms incitement and misinformation during the ongoing protests.
President William Ruto recently issued a stern warning, labeling attacks on police officers and public property as acts of terrorism and vowing a decisive government response.
Critics, however, argue that such arrests are attempts to suppress dissent and control the narrative, particularly as social media platforms have become crucial tools for mobilization and activism during the youth-driven demonstrations.
Maiyo is currently in custody, undergoing processing, and is expected to be arraigned in court.
His arrest highlights the growing tension between digital activism and state power in Kenya’s turbulent political landscape.
