Kiambu politicians read mischief in arrests, point fingers at leader

Stephen Kigathe Kionywe in the dock at a Kiambu court. [George Njunge, Standard]

A senior politician in Kiambu has been accused of instigating the arrest of several people with political ambitions.

Among those held by the police are Kuru Waweru, Naftally Njama, Mutonya Njema and Stephen Kigathe Kionywe. 

Kuru was seized at Nairobi’s Bunyala Road while he was from church. Kuru, who is eyeing the Ndeiya Ward seat, was in a matatu with family members when two Subaru Outback cars blocked the vehicle. 

He was dragged from the matatu, to the shock of his family and other passengers, and bundled into one of the cars which sped off.

“The men in plain clothes did not speak to me. Neither did screams from my wife and child deter them. I was handcuffed and bundled into one of the cars that headed to Kiambu Police Station where I was held incommunicado,” Kuru said.

According to Kuru, he was not told why he was under arrest until the following morning when he was taken to a Kiambu court where he faced the charge of burning the National Government Constituency Development Fund office in Kikuyu town on June 25.

Police said the property was valued at Sh20 million.

The politician was also accused of setting ablaze a Toyota Landcruiser registration number KAH 979S valued at Sh2.5 million, the property of government, as well as damaging the office of Kikuyu Sub-County Deputy Commissioner and a perimeter wall, all valued at Sh600,000. 

Kuru was released on a Sh200,000 cash bail with an alternative of Sh1 million bond. He says he will not be intimidated or cowed by the senior politician.

Njama was picked in Nairobi’s city centre near Khoja Mosque by three men. He unsuccessfully vied for the Kikuyu Ward seat in 2017 and 2022. He was driven to and detained at Kiambu Police Station.

Like Kuru, he was presented at a Kiambu court where he faced three counts of arson, destruction of property and a motor vehicle belonging to Kikuyu CDF.

“This is political witch-hunt yet during campaigns, President William Ruto and his deputy promised that criminal justice system will never be used again against citizens, dissenting voices and politicians. It is a shame the practice is back and biting harder,” said Njama, linking his tribulations to the senior politician.

Mutonya, a Sigona Ward MCA between 2013 and 2017, was in his house when police officers knocked on his door. Upon opening, Mutonya was whisked away while some officers ransacked his house.

He was taken to Kiambu Police Station and charged with arson and willful destruction of property belonging to Kikuyu CDF and the government of Kenya.

Kigathe was arrested at his Kikuyu office. He was an aspirant for the Kikuyu parliamentary seat on a Kanu ticket in the 2022 election. The politician was bundled into a vehicle and driven to Kiambu Police Station.

“I was not informed of the reason for my arrest. No one was speaking to me. I found myself locked in a cell,” he recounted.

In court, he was accused of arson and destruction of Kikuyu CDF offices and a motor vehicle.

Kigathe was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail. He believes his arrest was politically instigated and meant to silence him. 

“This is political witch-hunt with the blessings of a senior Kiambu politician who feels unsettled. No amount of intimidation will silence us,” said Kigathe.

Some politicians are condemning the arrests and are calling on the police to stop being used to silence competitors.

Damaris Waiganjo, a Kiamba seat aspirant in 2017, said Ruto’s administration is now doing the same things he accused his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, of doing.