• Wed. Oct 16th, 2024

Kenya’s Deputy President Allies Face Arrests over Anti-Government Protests

Byadmin

Sep 26, 2024 #Rigathi Gachagua

Police have recommended politicians allied to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua be charged with various offences relating to the recent anti-government protests.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said they launched investigations after they received an intelligence report of planning, mobilizing and financing of violent protests that were witnessed in the country on June 25, 2024.

Following an investigation, the Director of Investigations at the DCI headquarters Abdalla Komesha, in the letter,  says two MPs allied to the DP and his aides were implicated following several meetings that took place at a hotel in Nairobi.

The two MPs are Embakasi Central’s Benjamin Gathiru aka MejaDonk and his Embakasi North counterpart James Gakuya.

As a result, the DCI has recommended that some of them be charged with soliciting or inciting others to commit offences contrary to section 391 of the Penal Code.

The two MPs and the DP’s aide will face the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 393 of the Penal Code if the ODPP agrees with the recommendations.

Gathiru will face additional charges of money laundering.

“Efforts are being made to obtain all financial data FRC, Safaricom and banks where financial transactions were carried out,” Komesha said in part in the letter to the ODPP dated September 24.

Others facing charges are former MPS including George Theuri (Embakasi West), former Parliamentary Departmental Education committee Vice Chairman Nguniri Wambugu (Nyeri Town) and Pius Menene,

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) is analyzing the file before he decides on the matter, officials said.

It comes in the wake of alleged plans to impeach the DP over among others violations of the laws.

He has denied the claims on his aides and allies and termed it a political betrayal.

President William Ruto had previously termed the Gen Z-led demos as a peaceful process that had been hijacked by organised criminals, promising to bring the financiers to book.

Police are investigating their alleged role in financing the violent protests and looting of businesses in Nairobi and parts of Central Kenya.

Police claim the individuals organized goons who raided shops and other premises to loot as Gen Z staged protests in the city.

Dozens of people who participated in the protests, especially on June 25 have been charged with various charges.

The protests were initially peaceful before goons invaded and started to loot property.

The mainly Gen-Z-led demonstrations took the government by surprise, with President William Ruto declining to sign the bill.

Discontent over the already high cost of living spiralled into nationwide protests, sparked by proposed tax hikes in the annual finance bill, which was however rejected.

Protest organizers called for the police to be held accountable for the shooting incidents.

More than 60 people were killed and 400 wounded in the chaos.

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