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Trouble after State House Director says JKIA is not part of Kenyan soil

Miguna is still being detained at a JKIA toilet

State House Director of Digital Communication Dennis Itumbi on Tuesday evening rubbed a section of Kenyans the wrong way after claiming that lawyer Miguna Miguna was not on Kenyan soil.

Itumbi attempted to explain why the government would not obey a court order that was issued on Tuesday evening, requiring the unconditional release of the outspoken NRM General.

According to the State House official, Kenyan courts have jurisdiction that is limited to Kenyan soil.

He further argued that since Miguna had not been cleared at the JKIA immigration clearance desk, the vocal General could not be said to be on Kenyan soil - even arguing that the orders could only be implemented by the military.

"The orders are in the category of absurd. How does a Judge order that a person who has yet to get to Kenya to be produced in court. Technically no such persons exists on Kenyan soil. The jurisdiction of the High Court is our boundaries. They court cannot order that Government go out of the borders to get anyone. Only, Parliament can do that for the Military," Itumbi stated.

The explanation appears to have been part of a coordinated government explanation that included a claim that the immigration department could not produce Miguna because "they only had an unidentified male adult in their custody".

A section of the Kenyan online community reacted with anger and bewilderment, many questioning Itumbi's intellectual capacity.

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@Justindante wondered, "Miguna is not yet in Kenya ! but police officers who attempted to shove him into a Dubai bound plane were in Kenya. Did the officers get visas to reach him in that 'country'?"

Munene Nkanata stated," Court orders are just that, court orders; and it is the obligation of every person to whom a court order is directed to to comply with it no matter how absurd such orders seem. see Hadkinson vs. Hadkinson (1952) 2 All ER 56".

Patrick Wamalwa was more blunt, "Those boundaries include miguna miguna and all citizens of the country wherever they may be. If these are the kind of people who advice I government then stupidity at its highest is displayed here. Facts don't become facts by shouting "facts".

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