- United Opposition has abandoned planned march to Inspector General Douglas Kanja’s office
- The coalition unveiled plans for four mega rallies in Nairobi, Kisii, Nyamira and Nakuru this month
- Leaders announced private legal action against 12 police officers and two MPs over the Witima ACK Church incident
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
The United Opposition has changed course, shelving plans to march to the office of Inspector General Douglas Kanja.
Source: Facebook
The political outfit instead unveiled a series of major rallies across four counties later this month.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, February 19 and signed by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa and Jubilee’s Fred Matiang’i, the coalition said it would no longer pursue direct engagement with Kanja.
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The leaders announced plans for large public gatherings in Nairobi, Kisii, Nyamira and Nakuru.
According to them, they had earlier met Kanja on January 30, and scheduled a follow up meeting on February 16.
However, upon honouring the appointment, they were briefed that the inspector general was unavailable until February 20.
The leaders argued that further visits to Kanja’s office would serve no purpose, claiming there had been reluctance to initiate meaningful investigations.
“We therefore find it not only uneccessary, but a disservice to Kenyans, to continue engaging an inspector general whose hands have been tied by his political masters, and who presides over a force that has been turned into a private militia for the protection of those in power,” the statement read in part.
Opposition to sue 12 police officers, MPs over Witima attack
The opposition accused the police leadership of failing to act on allegations linked to the controversial attack at Witima ACK Church, an incident that reportedly targeted an event attended by Gachagua.
According to the statement, the coalition intends to pursue private legal proceedings against 12 police officers believed to have taken part in the incident, as well as two members of Parliament alleged to have financed and facilitated it.
They described the move away from official engagements as a deliberate decision to seek accountability through the courts and public mobilisation rather than what they termed unproductive consultations.
Source: Twitter
Did Murkomen intercept Witima attack file?
The coalition further alleged that a case file containing details of 14 individuals connected to the incident had been prepared for submission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
However, they claimed the file was intercepted before action could be taken.
The statement suggested that such interference undermines confidence in the justice system and weakens constitutional safeguards.
“We further understand that the investigative file was ready for transmission to the ODPP. Shockingly, that file has been intercepted by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Kipchumba Murkomen, with directions that no prosecution shall take place,” the statement read in part.
Will opposition rallies continue as planned?
Despite abandoning plans to return to Kanja’s office, the opposition leaders emphasised that their upcoming rallies would proceed as scheduled.
They maintained that the meetings fall within constitutional protections guaranteeing the right to peaceful assembly, picketing and petitioning public authorities.
Gachagua has repeatedly questioned why no prosecutions have followed the Witima church attack, despite what he describes as clear evidence implicating certain officers.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
