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Maandamano Monday: Come arrest me, Raila dares police

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By Wanja Waweru

As he vowed to continue the anti-government protests that the government has banned, opposition leader Raila Odinga dared the police to arrest him today, signaling harsher efforts to stop the nationwide demonstrations that had been scheduled for twice each week.

Kithure Kindiki, the Interior Cabinet Secretary, warned yesterday that the police would not put up with any more violent protests and that the government would fight for a new law to limit demonstrations.

During a press conference at which Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome threatened to arrest opposition leaders and stated he had not authorized today’s demonstrations, Prof. Kindiki made a statement.

“The government shall introduce in Parliament subsidiary legislation in the form of regulations pursuant to the Public Order Act and the Statutory Instruments Act to provide for the legal circumscription of assemblies, demonstrations, pickets and petitions,” the CS stated, adding the new regulations will cover notification procedures, duties of security agencies to protect the rights of [participants], demarcation of assembly, demonstration, picket and petition zones, among others.”

“It is not feasible for security organs to allow masses of people to roam streets and neighbourhoods of their choice carrying stones and other offensive weapons while chanting political slogans and disrupting the daily activities of others. Accordingly, law enforcement agencies shall not tolerate the reported plans to repeat the violent, chaotic and economically disruptive protests that took place in Nairobi and Kisumu [last Monday]” Prof Kindiki said.

Yesterday, Mr Odinga lashed out at Mr Koome over what he termed as veiled threats to Kenyans planning to participate in today’s protests.

While Mr. Odinga and his team contended that the Constitution merely requires the service of notice to the police, Mr. Koome insisted the police did not approve any demonstrations.

The leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party declared that he will be in the forefront of today’s demonstrations and tasked Mr. Koome with having him arrested.

“We are saying that we shall hold peaceful protests in accordance with the law but Koome says he will arrest us. I want to warn him to desist from such utterances and not to try to provoke chaos,” Mr Odinga warned.

“I’m ready for the arrest and don’t send any other officer, come arrest me by yourself,” Mr Odinga told the police boss

Crime

Nyeri teen arrested with homemade gun, bhang to be charged

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By Wanja Waweru

A 19-year-old guy was detained by police in Nyeri County after being discovered in possession of a handmade gun that could fire and marijuana.

The National Police Service (NPS) said in a statement that the young man was detained as a result of a tip from the general public.

“Police officers from Munyange Police Station arrested a 19-year-old suspect after he was found in possession of a home-made pistol, stones of cannabis sativa and rolls of the same. He has been remanded in police custody,” the statement read in part.

The NPS also expressed gratitude to the general public for helping to support community police in the battle against crime and illegal narcotics.

A police officer assigned to the General Service Unit (GSU) was also found in possession of a handmade pistol the day before the teen’s arrest.

A failed heist in Kasarani sub-county led to the arrest of Mr. Graham Ndichu Chege, a GSU officer.

On Monday, May 29, 2023, Nairobi News broke the exclusive that the suspect has been on police radar for more than four months.

Officers worried about an armed gang terrorizing people in Kasarani Sub-County knew when, not if, Mr. Chege would be apprehended.

The suspect was being questioned about more robberies that had occurred nearby, according to an investigator with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) who is aware of the current inquiries.

“Officers involved in the matter believe that he was the one leading a gang that has been giving the locals in this sub-county a hard time. Plans are also underway to arrest his accomplices,” said the officer, who spoke in confidence as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

According to a police report reviewed by this reporter, Mr. Paul Maina said that three individuals on motorcycles and carrying pistols robbed him at gunpoint of his cell phone at the Cooperative area along Kamiti Road.

“Police officers on foot patrol responded very quickly and with the help of bodaboda riders they chased the suspects to Juja Weighbridge where the suspect’s motorcycle developed mechanical problem and Mr Chege was arrested,” the report reads in part.

As a GSU officer assigned to the GSU Headquarters and Transit Section, Mr. Chege then revealed to the officers that he was to them.

When the police searched him, they discovered a makeshift pistol that they claimed might fire.

“A bloodstained broken knife and a motorcycle with registration number KMFH 031U, make Ranger Black, were recovered,” the police report added.

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Kenyans ranked 87th most unhappy people in the world

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The top 20 most miserable persons, according to Hanke’s Annual Misery Index, created by Steve Hanke, modified and ratified by Harvard University, and published by The Wall Street Journal, are listed below.

Inflation, unemployment, and high interest rates are the main causes of these people’s misery.

Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon, and Sudan took the top five positions.

Ranked sixth to tenth were Argentina, Yemen, Ukraine, Cuba, and Turkey.

Sri Lanka, Haiti, and Angola were 11th, 12th, and 13th, while Tonga, Ghana, and South Africa were 14th, 15th, and 16th. Ranked 17th to 20th were Suriname, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, and Rwanda.

At the bottom of the list in 87th place was Kenya with a misery index of 29.264 and the main factor contributing to its misery was the interest rate on loans.

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Accidents

Vihiga: Section of Secondary School dorm razed, no injuries

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On Tuesday evening, a portion of a dormitory at Ebunangwe Boy’s Secondary School in Vihiga County caught fire.

Billy Maloba, a witness to the incident, estimates that the fire started at 8 o’clock.

“No one was injured in the accident since it happened when the students were doing their night preps in class,” he said.

Ebunangwe is a mixed boarding and day school.

The school has only one dormitory.

“It was raining around that time so it took a while for people to notice the fire,” Maloba, who said he lives a few metres from the school, said.

He claimed that once the fire was put out by the locals, the Vihiga fire department arrived.

Since property with an unknown value was destroyed, the cause of the fire has not yet been identified.

By the time of publication, the school still had not released a statement regarding the incident.

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