Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga on Wednesday night, July 19, was arrested reportedly by 50 police at his Kiserian home, his lawyer claimed.
Njenga's lawyer Ndegwa Njiru in a statement stated that the ex-leader of the outlawed group was taken by police without disclosing the reasons or the charges he was facing.
According to the lawyer, his brother Njoroge Njenga and personal assistant Ole Lekishe have also whisked away in the night raid in a move that seemed aimed at crushing the anti-government protests mobilisation.
Njiru said the three were driven away to an undisclosed location.
The arrests come hours after Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga's close aides and political allies were rounded up in a day that was supposed to mark the first of the three-day anti-Ruto protests.
While people stayed home in major cities on the first day of the protests, police managed to contain protestors in the outskirts with breakouts in areas that are traditionally opposition strongholds.
Other leaders who have been since arrested following the protests include Embakasi MP Babu Owino, Raila's bodyguard Maurice Ogeta, his spokesman Dennis Onyango, Makadara MP George Aladwa, Kilifi MP Ken Chonga and a number of MCAs.
Fridah Ongili, the wife to Babu, on Wednesday, July 19, pleaded with the government to release her husband after searching for him in over five police stations.
Babu's wife revealed that the Embakasi East MP was being held at Wanguru Police Station in Mwea, where the officers were processing him before arraignment.
“Yesterday (Tuesday, July 18), he called me at around 11:00 PM and told me that he was at the airport and had been detained by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers," Fridah narrated.
Azimio principal Martha Karua has blamed the government for the violence breakout during the protests and has maintained that their peaceful demonstrations are still on.
"We salute the gallant Kenyan patriots who braved police teargas, water canons and bullets by turning up in their numbers to express their sovereign will," Karua stated.
"Once again, the people have spoken loudly and clearly by denouncing the punitive taxes imposed on them by the illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime through the ill-fated Finance Act 2023. In one accord, the people have declared that if the regime cannot listen to them, they will liberate and fend for themselves," Karua stated.
