CS Interior Kipchumba Murkomen during his inspection of Nairobi CBD on Thursday, where he accessed the destruction caused by protests. Photo: Kipchumba Murkomen.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen claims the June 25 Anniversary protests were planned and funded by individuals he did not disclose.
According to Murkomen, the protests was well planned to hide behind the ‘peaceful’ protests, which escalated into chaos as women were raped, businesses looted and properties worth billions of money was destroyed. He claimed that protesters along Thika Road were captured chanting they have successfully taken over power and occupied State House.
“What was billed as a peaceful protest was in truth, a calculated disguise, a coordinated descent into chaos masked as civic expression. Beneath the banner of democratic rights, we witnessed a well-orchestrated campaign of political violence. What happened was not spontaneous. It was not random. it was deliberate, coordinated, funded, premediated and politically instigated,” Murkomen claimed.
He claimed that the planners left home in safety, leaving Kenyans vulnerable in the hands of goons and criminals. He questioned the remarks of DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua on 2007/08 Post-Election Violence being a Christmas party, with the protests being an example of what will happen later.
“is this the scenario which a section of church leaders and foreign diplomats wanted uncontrolled? The precursor to the Christmas party that we were promised?” Murkomen questioned.
He confirmed that the Inspector General of Police (IG), through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI), are carrying out investigations to uncover the financers of the protests.
“The Inspector General of Police, through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is carrying out investigations to apprehend and bring to justice the organisers and the financers of this well-orchestrated campaign of violence,” he said.
According to Murkomen the recent events calls for the fully functioning of Article 37 of the Constitution, which gives Kenyans the right to assemble, and demonstrate, where organisers and planners of protests will be required to provide sufficient evidence of their protests, time and routes to be covered during protests, which will help provide enough security to the protesters.
He further added that the operationalization will ensure that other Kenyans not involved in protests will not be affected, including traders and business owners. He urged Kenyans to shun violence, and deny the people funding protests to interfere with genuine protests.
