This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
December 15, 2019
Violence is escalating in the Mt Kenya region as supporters of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto engage in a bitter rivalry ahead of the proposed referendum on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report and the 2022 elections.
Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, a key figure in the pro-Kenyatta faction, has accused the police of bias and called for an overhaul of the Nyeri Central Police command.
Wambugu's complaint follows a recent incident at Giakanja Secondary School in Nyeri Town, where violence erupted at a fundraiser presided over by Dr Ruto after rival youth clashed.
Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga has defended the police, insisting they remain independent and urging politicians to keep politics out of security matters.
However, Wambugu maintained that the police had taken sides in the event, supporting the Tangatanga wing, which is allied to Dr Ruto.
He also questioned why Ward Representative Samuel Kariuki, a Tangatanga supporter, was briefly arrested and released despite his role in the violence.
The violence and intolerance have also been witnessed in neighboring Kirinyaga and Murang'a counties, with politicians and residents calling for an end to the chaos.
