Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki Monday ordered a crackdown on organizers and financiers of the heckling that was witnessed during President William Ruto’s Kericho and Bomet rallies.
The CS further directed the police to reign in on incidents of disorderly conduct in political meetings, conclude investigations, and apprehend organizers, financiers, and perpetrators of hooliganism in the County, regardless of their political or social standing.
Kindiki’s directives came after a consultative forum with the Kericho County Security and Intelligence Committee, which also focused on the ongoing crackdown on the manufacture, distribution, sale, and consumption of illicit liquor, narcotic drugs, and psychotropic substances.
“The security team is [also] tasked to reign in on disorderly conduct in political meetings, conclude investigations and apprehend the organizers, financiers, and perpetrators of hooliganism, regardless of their political or social standing,” he declared.
The directive followed heckling incidents during rally-styled presidential functions during President William Ruto’s visit to Kericho.
Rival factions reportedly retained youths to stage hostile reception against targeted speakers who accompanied President Ruto.
Kindiki’s directive comes a day after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua read the riot act to Rift Valley leaders, asking them to desist from internal conflicts and prioritize public service.
Gachagua said it was shameful and disdainful for leaders to make President Ruto a laughingstock as they publicly fight for supremacy in the region in the presence of the Head of State.
The DP said it was no longer acceptable for leaders from the region to engage in disrespectful exchanges in front of the president.
“This infighting in the President’s backyard is very shameful. The people of the Rift Valley must not take the presidency for granted,” said Gachagua
He said the spectacles he linked to the ferrying of goons to President Ruto’s development meetings must stop.
“The President’s meetings cannot be chaotic like we saw in Kericho and Bomet. We must be careful with the way we handle the Presidency. The only way to show the other people you appreciate their support is to respect the President,” he warned.
In Bomet on Saturday, the DP asked leaders to deal with their local issues away from the President’s eye.
“I will not associate with anyone from this region who disrespects the President. Be it a Governor, Senator, MP, or anybody from this region. We want total respect for the president,” he emphasized.
To stop similar happenings in the future, the DP promised to summon the leaders for a meeting.
“I am going to call all the leaders from the counties here in North and South Rift to explain to me what the problem is and why they are eager to embarrass our President,” he said.
Kindiki ordered security managers at all levels countrywide to ensure strict compliance and enforcement of the 25-point policy and operational guidelines issued by the Government on March 6, 2024.
He warned that security officials who fail to comply will be held individually liable for any failure in eradication of poisonous and toxic substances within their jurisdictions.
“The manufacture, sale and consumption of illicit alcohol and narcotic drugs is an existential National Security threat that the Government is determined to permanently eradicate, by suppressing the supply chain for the dangerous substances,” said Kindiki.
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