GARISSA, Kenya — A TikTok user has been charged before the Garissa Law Courts with ethnic and racial contempt and cyber harassment over a viral video that prosecutors allege incited religious and ethnic hostility in Garissa County.
The accused, Abdi Hassan Abdullahi, also known as Sharu, pleaded not guilty to both charges when he appeared in court on Wednesday. He was released on a bond of Sh500,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000 pending the hearing of the case.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), investigations established that Abdullahi allegedly uploaded the video on April 23, 2026, through his TikTok account under the username “sharu.” Detectives claim the content sought to incite members of the Muslim community in Garissa County against non-Muslims.
The suspect was arrested on May 16, 2026, after which investigators completed inquiries and forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The ODPP subsequently directed that he be charged.
Abdullahi faces two counts: Ethnic and Racial Contempt, contrary to Section 62(1) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, and Cyber Harassment, contrary to Section 27 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
The matter is scheduled for pre-trial proceedings on July 20, 2026.
DCI warns against misuse of social media
In a statement, the DCI reiterated that while Kenyans enjoy constitutional protection of freedom of expression, that right is subject to legal limitations where speech incites hatred, discrimination or public disorder.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reminds members of the public that while freedom of expression is protected by law, it does not extend to conduct that unlawfully incites hatred, discrimination or public disorder. Social media platforms should be used responsibly, and anyone who uses them to commit criminal offences will be investigated and brought before the courts in accordance with the law,” the agency said.
Balancing free speech and public order
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of online content in Kenya, with authorities increasingly relying on the National Cohesion and Integration Act and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act to prosecute alleged hate speech and cyber-related offences.
Article 33 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression but excludes speech that amounts to propaganda for war, incitement to violence, hate speech or advocacy of hatred that constitutes ethnic incitement, vilification or discrimination.
As the criminal proceedings commence, the court will determine whether the prosecution can prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.