Two Members of Parliament allied to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were on Wednesday evening released from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Kiambu Road after being questioned over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests.
The two, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya and his Embakasi Central counterpart Mejja Donk denied any involvement in the violence and looting experienced in some parts of the country during the protests.
They were on Wednesday evening picked near a city hotel and taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters where they were grilled for hours and released later in the night.
Gakuya was furious over the move to arrest him and challenged anyone with evidence on the claims to table it.
“Anybody with any evidence, any fact, of whatever misdeed we did, should come very clear and tell us this particular day we financed this or mobilized that…these are the things they should table,” said Gakuya.
He termed the moves as a witchhunt which he demanded should end.
He said the protests were organic.
“They should stop witch-hunting people by painting them as followers of somebody because we’re not. We’re members of UDA and we’re loyal to both of them,” said Gakuya.
Donk said they are being punished for being close to Gachagua.
“We were also asked whether we were buying t-shirts and water, of which I believe that this is just political.”
“They summoned us because we’re supporters of the deputy president. We’re asking, when did we have two parties?” he asked.
A handful of their supporters came to receive them outside the DCI along Kiambu Road.
Police said their probe into the claims is ongoing and they will forward their file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
Three other aides to Gachagua had earlier on Tuesday been grilled over their role if – any in – sponsoring the demos and looting.
They denied the claims.
The three were former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, who now works as a political advisor in the office of the DP, and former Embakasi West lawmaker Eric Theuri, who now works as the youth advisor in the office of the deputy president.
Munene wa Mumbi, who is the private secretary of the DP, also recorded a statement.
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 have been probing the aftermath of the June 25 incident where protestors raided Parliament and other government offices.
There are claims some of the protesters were mobilized and facilitated to destroy property in the protests.
Police handling the matter said they are also talking to other leaders apart from those widely being mentioned and associated with Gachagua.
The protests were initially peaceful before goons invaded and started to loot property.
The mainly Gen-Z-led demonstrations have taken the government by surprise, with President William Ruto declining to sign the bill.
Discontent over the already high cost of living spiralled into nationwid63
e protests, sparked by proposed tax hikes in the annual finance bill, which was however rejected.
Protest organisers called for the police to be held accountable for the shooting incidents.
More than 60 people have been killed and 400 wounded in the chaos.
Source: theStars .co.ke
Original writer: [email protected] (CYRUS OMBATI)