Interior Cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery has directed police to apprehend and prosecute youth who torched a vehicle after an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rally in Mathare on Sunday. “Those youth captured on camera claiming responsibility for torching a pick-up, displaying impunity by committing assault, arson and robbery should be arrested and prosecuted immediately,” he said.
Youth captured in the footage had claimed that the driver of the pick-up had injured one of them. They descended on Paul Mwangi, the driver,and his tout before torching the Madza pick-up belonging to Duncan Kiama. Police had to use teargas to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
The rally convened by ODM leaders was rocked by controversy after their Jubilee Party counterparts also booked the same venue for a parallel event. Jubilee leaders, however, moved their rally to Mlango Kubwa stadium to avoid conflict with the Opposition.
Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe announced Nkaissery’s directive during a media briefing at the KICC, yesterday. Kiraithe also revealed that Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Nairobi counterpart Evans Kidero, who convened the rally, might be held accountable for the destruction.
Kiraithe urged politicians to restrain their supporters to end cases of hooliganism at rallies and other gatherings. “A section of politicians…take every opportunity to express their willingness to perpetuate bodily harm on innocent people,”he said.
Kiraithe underscored the government’s commitment to the preservation of law and order and to decisively thwart any attempt to gain power through intimidation, violence and lawlessness.
He called on the Judiciary to expedite cases of impunity “Judiciary should realise that when impunity is not dealt with expeditiously, it becomes contagious and may spin out of control,” he said.