Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday responded to the arrest of over 250 youth suspected of being members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
Speaking during the burial of Nyandarua Senator John Methu’s father, Gachagua stated that the Kenya Kwanza administration was keen on scaling up the crackdown on suspected Mungiki members.
The Deputy President was speaking a day after former Mungiki Leader Maina Njenga accused him and the Kenya Kwanza administration of profiling youth from the region.
Additionally, Gachagua spoke a few minutes after chaos was witnessed at Divisional Police Headquarters engineered by the youth who had been arrested.
DP Gachagua stated that the arrests which were made on Sunday were a result of a two-month investigation.
Gachagua noted that President William Ruto’s administration would ensure that the gang never committed atrocities in Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions.
“An attempt is being made now to revive that criminal gang. Two months ago they had started illegal revenue collection,” he stated.
Gachagua added that the outlawed sect was also involved in the assault and defilement of women in the Mt Kenya region.
The DP claimed that the young men were setting up a parallel tax collection system with the proceeds funnelled to their leader’s account.
Some of the ways members of the public were being extorted was through forceful levies charged on matatus and shops in the Mt Kenya region.
He implored young men from the region not to be deceived into engaging in criminal activities.
Additionally, Gachagua responded to accusations that the government had turned on the very youth that propelled him and President William Ruto into power by classifying them as members of the Mungiki sect.
“Do not tell us that the young men are from our region, even the women being defiled and matatu owners being extorted are from the community,” he stated.
On whether the crackdown would affect his popularity in the region, he responded, “If there is any political price that needs to be paid to protect these women and our young girls then I am ready.”
Police officers in Nyeri were forced to intervene after the over 250 youth who had been arrested began singing traditional songs inside their cells.
