Activist Boniface Mwangi has challenged Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah to institute police action following his claims that women were raped during Azimio protests on Monday.
The MP while criticising Azimio leader Raila Odinga for not condemning the alleged crimes claimed that “goons and hooligans” raped women in Mathare.
“Raila Odinga can’t even condemn the destruction of property perpetrated by goons & hooligans under his command. He glorifies anarchy and neither does he condemn goons reported to have raped mama mbogas in Mathare,” Ichungw’ah said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Mwangi, however, cautioned the lawmaker saying his remarks are dangerous and run the risk of igniting animosity amongst Kenyans.
“If the allegations of rape in Mathare are true, Ichung’wah should be asking Police IG Koome to investigate and arrest the rapists. Hardline positions and strong language like this one will lead to violence and innocent deaths,” he said.
Chaotic scenes dominated Azimio la Umoja’s first day of mass action on Monday as Raila traversed various Nairobi estates.
Other than injuries to officers, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said in a statement on Tuesday that more than 200 people were arrested during Monday’s mass protests.
He made no mention of rape incidents.
“We wish to inform the public that during Monday’s demonstrations, we arrested 25 people, while seven officers were injured in Nyanza,” he said.
“In Nairobi, 10 police vehicles were damaged, 24 officers injured while 213 persons arrested were,” Koome said.
Raila on Tuesday declared that due to public demand, mass action will henceforth be held on Mondays and Thursdays.
Azimio Executive Council members led by chairman Wycliffe Oparanya on Wednesday hand-delivered a letter to Koome informing him of the planned protests.
“We put police on notice that we will allow only uniformed police to bear arms; plainclothes in arms will be dealt with as thugs and hired goons and committed to civilian arrests as allowed by the law,” Oparanya said.
