Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has been told his planned rally at Kamukunji grounds will only go on if he or his party formally notifies the police for security arrangements.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the government will not allow any unsanctioned gathering to disrupt peace and business in Nairobi during Gachagua’s highly anticipated return from the United States.
“If they have given the notification, we have absolutely no issue with any person, political party, or any politician calling for a meeting,” Murkomen said in Nyandarua. “They just need to give the notification, and they must ensure their meeting is peaceful and does not lead to situations of disrupting the peace for others or burning of property or looting or violence.”
Murkomen defended the government’s decision to charge suspects of arson and looting with terrorism-related offenses. He argued that burning public facilities and destroying property amounted to acts of terror.
“If you burn a police station, you burn government cars, whether county or national, you burn a police office, you burn somebody’s supermarket—there is no other charge we can bring before the court. The best charge is those related to terror because that is exactly what you’re doing,” he said.
His comments echoed warnings from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who dismissed Gachagua’s return as an “ordinary” affair. The IG assured that the National Police Service is fully in control and expects “normalcy” when the DCP leader lands at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday.
Murkomen also revealed that intelligence reports had flagged possible plans of chaos linked to the mobilisation of Gachagua’s supporters. The DCP has called for more than one million people to gather at JKIA to welcome their leader.
“The last time he was around, there were disruptions in the name of protests. We are prepared, and the National Police Service will protect citizens and their property,” Murkomen said in Murang’a County during the 30th Jukwaa la Usalama forum on Tuesday.
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