Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri has warned businesspeople in Nairobi who are planning to engage youth to protect their businesses that they will be operating outside the ambit of law.
He said there’s no law in Kenya that gives citizens the right to hire people to protect their businesses.
“Any youth being asked to show up in the protests and protect businesses should know that they are breaching the law to the highest degree,” he said.
The warning is a follow-up on activity by goons who were allegedly hired to protect businesses during the 17 June protests but turned rogue breaking into shops and robbing peaceful demonstrators.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was later accused of paying the goons to disrupt the protests but he later denied the claims, shifting the blame to his political rival Babu Owino.
Speaking on Sunday, June 22, he dismissed the claims as false and politically motivated, maintaining that he has never condoned violence throughout his political career.
“Over the past few days, I have observed with deep concern the circulation of false, malicious, and political allegations against me. I would like to say for the record, I have never and I will never sponsor violence of any kind; my entire political life has been anchored on clean politics which upholds human dignity, the rule of law and the democratic rights of every Kenyan,” he said.
Sakaja claimed the accusations are part of a desperate ploy by certain individuals with a history of chaos and intimidation.
“These accusations are not only false; they are desperate attempts by certain well-known individuals whose political careers are marked by violence, intimidation, and chaos. They have gone as far as hiring goons to come and infiltrate protests and claim that I’m the one who sent them so as to taint my name and gain political mileage,” he added.
Sakaja urged Nairobi residents to remain alert and not allow political opportunists to hijack the ongoing national discourse for selfish reasons.
“I urge you, Nairobians, not to be deceived; let us not let rogue politicians hijack serious matters for selfish gains. The recent and tragic events demand justice, not side-shows and disruptions. Shooting the focus to unverified claims about me is not only dishonest, it dis-honours the victims,” he further said.
Early Monday Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said peaceful demonstrations scheduled for Wednesday 25 June, will not take place.
Mwaura’s notice comes at a time when plans by civil society organizations are in high gear to honour (commemorate)Â the fallen heroes during the anti-Finance Bill protests of June 2024.
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