A former governor, at least four serving Members of Parliament, and aides to a prominent politician are under investigation for allegedly sponsoring chaos during the ongoing anti-government protests.
These individuals have been summoned to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on different dates for questioning.
Police allege that the individuals organized groups to raid shops and other premises, leading to looting amid the Gen Z protests in the city. The accused have denied these claims. Additionally, a former Member of Parliament from the city is also being investigated for similar accusations.
The aides to the politician were summoned to the DCI headquarters on July 19, but their questioning was cut short due to alleged interference from higher authorities. The aides include advisors to the politician.
According to police handling the case, there is currently limited evidence linking the individuals to the alleged crimes. “That is why we want to hear from them to make a well-informed decision on the way forward,” said an officer familiar with the investigation.
The individuals are scheduled to appear before the police on July 24. Some will attend the DCI headquarters, while others will report to the Nairobi Area command. Investigators have been relying on intelligence, which they argue is not yet actionable.
For example, there have been reports suggesting that a politician paid goons to raid premises and blame the looting on protesters, and another report claims that a politician paid goons to attack and burn a government office.
Police are working against the clock to gather evidence to potentially charge those implicated. Meanwhile, dozens of people who participated in the protests, particularly those on June 25, have already been charged with various offenses. The investigation into these cases is ongoing.
The protests, which were initially peaceful, turned violent when goons began invading and looting property. The largely Gen-Z-led demonstrations caught the government off guard, with President William Ruto opting not to sign the proposed bill.
The unrest, driven by discontent over the high cost of living, was exacerbated by proposed tax hikes in the annual finance bill, which was ultimately rejected. Protest organizers have called for police accountability regarding shooting incidents during the demonstrations.
The chaos has resulted in more than 50 deaths and 400 injuries.
