Kenyan newspaper review: Police allegedly ordered to ignore plot to ambush Gachagua at funeral

On Saturday, November 30, Kenyan newspapers reported on a range of topics relevant to the country, with investigations into the chaos witnessed at a funeral attended by former Vice President Rigathi Gachagua dominating the pages.

1. Saturday Nation

The newspaper has emerged details of how police ignored warning signs of political chaos at the funeral where former Vice President Rigathi Gachagua was forced to flee for his life.

Insiders have revealed that the plan to attack Gachagua could have been initiated a day before the funeral.

Sources indicate that a group of youths was initially organized to stage the attack on Wednesday after word spread that Gachagua would visit the family to make his personal contribution and attend an evening prayer session.

Gachagua, through one of his close allies, had sent his personal contribution of KSh50,000 to the family after the funeral organizing committee contacted him.

He also expressed his intention to attend the funeral, said Joseph Karanja Muchai, alias Shujaa, who was part of the organizing committee.

A senior police source revealed in confidence that they had all the information indicating that chaos was likely to ensue, given past experience after Gachagua’s ouster.

However, the source claimed that individuals close to the executive used their influence to warn senior police officers about benefits in kind security for the Gachagua event.

The goons were reportedly taken to Bibirioni location, the location of the burial, from Kabete, Kikuyu, Limuru and Kiambaa.

They arrived as early as 8 a.m., before the mortuary procession arrived.

Witness accounts told how the young men, who the villagers could tell were not from the area, were smoking upon arrival and strategically positioned themselves, facing and close to the VIP stage.

She later threw stones at the main stagetore down tents and used chairs, sticks and other weapons to attack the motorcade of Mr. Gachagua and his close political allies.

“I’d be lying to you if I said we didn’t know chaos would break out at the funeral. The information and clues were spread everywhere, and some local administrators in WhatsApp groups, such as that of Uteti wa Limuru (Limuru Politics), But what do you do when people close to power call you and other senior police officers and telling you not to entrust security to so-and-so because they are no longer government officials? and officers often complain silently.

Yes, we know what is wrong and what is right, but sometimes we find ourselves involved in battles that are not ours. On a personal level, you feel like you are letting people down and being used poorly, and in all this it is the people who are directly suffering,” a senior police officer told the newspaper.

Officially the the top of the service rejected this position.

2. The Saturday standard

According to the newspaper, former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, who was allegedly kidnappedclaims he was released at 2am and dumped near the Southern Bypass.

“He has no injuries, but he is extremely traumatized. The information we have is that he was driven around in circles and then abandoned in the early hours of the night,” said Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.

Mwathi’s wife, Anne Mungai, who accompanied some of the leaders to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday evening in a bid to track down the former MP, claimed that Mwathi’s vehicle was wedged between two Subaru vehicles when he was taken away. .

The leaders who accompanied her included Senators Karungo Thang’wa (Kiambu) and John Methu (Nyandarua) and MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba (Githunguri).

Back in Bibirioni village, Kimani Jambezu, the family spokesperson and chairman of the funeral committee, said the incident was an embarrassment to the family, neighbors and friends.

“Gachagua is a Kenyan like any other, with the right to association and opinion. Desecrating a funeral, especially in a village, is despicable and an abomination,” Jambezu said.

He added that there was chaos a double tragedy for the familyas Erastus Nduati, the young man who was buried, was murdered.

Police refuted reports that they had arrested Mwathi. National Police spokesperson Resila Onyango said Mwathi was not a person of interest in the investigation.

3. Taifa Leo

The Swahili newspaper reported that MPs have criticized church leaders and called on them to stay away politics and focus on their primary role: providing spiritual nourishment to their congregants.

The MPs accused religious leaders of banning political contributions to churches and associating politicians with corruption, saying the clergy had failed to mentor communities and had instead ventured into politics.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah strongly condemned the church leaders, stating that they should not intimidate politicians into stopping donations for church development, especially since the same leaders invite them to raise funds.

Referring to contributions by the President William Ruto Speaking to the Soweto Catholic Church in Nairobi, Ichung’wah emphasized that it was the church leaders who were seeking help.

This debate highlights the growing tensions between politicians and religious leaders over the role of the church in governance and social issues.

4. The star

The publication reported that a senior police officer was wanted over a shooting incident at a bar in Sotik. Bomet provincehas surrendered.

Police Chief Inspector David Kiprotich surrendered at the Sotik police station on Thursday. He is the Police Commander of Waitaluk Police Station in Trans Nzoia Province.

He had been on the run since Tuesday after a shooting incident in his bar in Sotik following an altercation with a partygoer.

He was off duty at the time of the incident and was at his rural home, almost 400 km away from his workplace.

His colleagues said they are investigating attempted murder in connection with the shooting.

Police said he also surrendered a pistol issued to him, which will be subjected to ballistics testing as part of the investigation into the incident.

The officer allegedly shot Charles Mutai in the abdomen on Tuesday around 7 p.m.

The incident took place at a bar in Kapcherany Market. The motive behind the shooting has yet to be determined.

Source: TUKO.co.ke