NYANDARUA, Kenya – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned that Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua will only be allowed to hold his planned Kamukunji rally on Thursday if he or his party has formally notified police for security arrangements.
Murkomen said the government will not permit unsanctioned public gatherings that disrupt peace or business in Nairobi during Gachagua’s return from the United States.
“If they have given the notification, we have absolutely no issue with any person, political party, or politician calling for a meeting. They just need to give the notification, and they must ensure their meeting is peaceful and does not disrupt the peace of others or lead to burning of property, looting, or violence,” Murkomen stated in Nyandarua.
The Interior CS defended the government’s decision to charge suspects of arson and destruction of government property under terrorism laws, insisting the offences amount to acts of terror.
“If you burn a police station, government cars, a police office, or someone’s supermarket — the best charge before court is terror-related because that is exactly what you are doing,” Murkomen said.
His remarks follow a similar caution from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who described Gachagua’s highly publicised return as an “ordinary” affair.
Kanja assured Kenyans that the National Police Service was fully in charge of security and expected normalcy during Gachagua’s landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Murkomen, however, warned that intelligence reports pointed to plans for chaos during the homecoming, adding that the government was prepared to take legal action against organisers if the mobilisation — which calls for more than one million supporters to throng JKIA — turned violent.
“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 during the 30th Jukwaa la Usalama forum on Tuesday.
