Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki explained the delays in the arrest of individuals who the government have described as the financiers and organisers of criminal gangs that infiltrated the protests.
During an interview on Citizen TV, the CS noted that investigations were ongoing with the police keen on collecting enough evidence against the financiers.
He explained that such individuals would not be held accountable if they were to be charged and sentenced successfully in good.
Therefore, the government needs to come up with a watertight case against the individuals.
"The government will stop at nothing until we deal with dangerous people who planned and financed dangerous criminals not only to hijack a peaceful process but also to hurt the country. There will be full accountability.
"We are not in a hurry. Taking people is one thing. Sustai ning it is another thing," he stated.
According to Kindiki, the police have already identified the individuals. He categorised them into two groups. One of the groups included political operatives linked to Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja.
"Investigations are still ongoing, but we have a rough idea of who they are. There are two groups. Some are known merchants of crime and their work is to facilitate criminal gangs.
"The second group is opportunistic political operatives. Both at the national and local level, we have evidence leading to political operatives from across the political divide," he stated.
However, Kindiki did not mention the names of the individuals being investigated. Previously, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua alleged that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) tried to pin the violence on him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Conduct of Police During the Protests
On the arrest of police officers who operated outside the law during the protests, the CS indicated that investigations were also ongoing.
Kindiki explained that there was a procedure of ballistic investigations being undertaken to ascertain which officers fired the guns.
Nonetheless, he maintained that the majority of the police acted in accordance with the law adding that there was nothing wrong with the police wearing plain clothes during the protest.
"We had police officers in uniform and others without and there is nothing irregular about that. Crowd control policing is different from other kinds of policing activities, including crime prevention," he stated.
Notably, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is planning on moving to court to have police blocked from wearing civilian clothing during protests. According to LSK, the move will enhance accountability.
