Gospel musician William Getumbe has been arrested and taken to the Kapsoya Police Station in Eldoret.
He was arrested following order from the Kenya Films and Commission Board for failure to comply with the Films and Stage Play Act, Cap 222 of the Laws of Kenya.
Getumbe’s arrest comes after the lapse of a seven-day ‘Demand Notice’ issued to him for violating Sections 4 and 12 of Cap 222 governing the creation, possession, distribution and exhibition of audio-visual content in Kenya, specifically the creation, distribution, and exhibition of the blasphemous “Yesu Ninyandue” music video, among others.
In a statement released by the board said the musician will face the following charges: “filming without a license which contravenes Part II, Section 4 of Cap 222, distribution and exhibition of unclassified audio-visual content in breach of Part III, Section 12 of the Cap 222, distribution, public exhibition, and possession of ‘obscene’ cinematograph films and public exhibition of indecent shows/performances tending to corrupt morals contrary to Section 181 (1) (a) and (e) of the Penal Code.”
Getumbe was issued a demand letter alongside fellow musician Embarambamba who complied with the board’s demands to “submit all his content (music videos) to KFCB for examination and classification for age appropriateness and acquire a filming license from KFCB before embarking on any new productions, and submit the same for classification for age-appropriateness before exhibiting to the public.”
Further elaborating on Getumbe’s arrest the board said, “The KFCB takes a strong stance against the creation, distribution, possession, broadcasting, and exhibition of ‘indecent’ content that goes against the values and morals of our society.
“As the Government agency mandated to regulate film and broadcast content space within the country, the Board urges all content creators to create content that promotes Kenya’s culture, moral values, and national aspirations, while ensuring that children are not exposed to inappropriate content.
“To this effect, the Board is collaborating with relevant platform owners to pull down the targeted content.”
