Keep off governors, DP Rigathi Gachagua tells DCI

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) not to harass County Governors.

He spoke on Thursday in Mombasa County, where he presided over the opening of the governors' induction.

According to Rigathi, the governors are being harassed by the DCI.

"I want to assure you, we are aware of the harassment and intimidation governors have gone through by state agencies. The level of extortion by detectives pretending to be fighting graft, whereas they were just extorting money from governors and officials, is a thing of the past," said Rigathi.

Rigathi's remarks come just days after his fiery speech during the inauguration ceremony at Kasarani.

"We have told DCI to go back to Kiambu Road and wait for crimes to be reported there. They have no business in government offices, hovering all over and creating a toxic environment for service delivery.

"We cannot have detectives in government offices because they poison the atmosphere and environment for civil servants to deliver," he said.

The DP also took issue with the calibre of officers sent to interrogate governors.

"We are going to tell our security officers that they cannot send a junior police officer to go harass and interrogate an elected governor. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed as it should be, we are not saying we don't fight graft, but let us be decent people. Let us have respect for elected leaders," said Rigathi.

He also wants a different approach taken.

"Let the head of that particular organisation write a letter to the governor himself and not delegate to some junior officers to address a sitting governor because that is not right," he said.

Rigathi, who has been interrogated by DCI in the past, has called out what he terms humiliation of elected leaders by DCI.

"We are going to restore the dignity of our leaders to enable them perform. Because when you embarrass an elected leader in front of his juniors and you go away, how would you expect him to perform the following day?" he posed.