A heavy contingent of police was Sunday deployed in Nyeri town ahead of the planned meeting by former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga at Kabiruini showground.
Several people were arrested and roughed up Sunday in Nyeri town as contingents of police officers intensified an operation to thwart the meeting.
Security checks were mounted at all highways leading to Nyeri town, signaling that a directive had been issued by the State to curb the event.
The police are stationed at Nyeri-Nairobi, Nyeri-Nyahururu and Nyeri-Nanyuki highways.
Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu issued a directive that the meeting be banned accordingly.
He also directed the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) and nyumba kumi elders at the grassroots to remain alert and curb any forms of gatherings.
“We have heard that there are some people who want to convene a meeting here and disrupt peace. We will not allow that meeting in our area. Nyeri has been a peaceful county, and we will not take chances in exposing our citizens to insecurity,” Murugu said.
“All security officers, especially chiefs and nyumba kumi elders, should be alert and ensure that we do not drag back to those days.”
This is seen as part of supremacy ward among local leaders.
Njenga said on phone the meeting was peaceful to celebrate the end of the year.
“This is wrong to harass innocent people. We are peaceful,” he said.
County Police Commander Benjamin Rotich declared the meeting was illegal.
Rotich warned that police are on high alert for any activities that may disturb peace and threaten security.
“We are set and all the security personnel are on the lookout for any illegal meeting. So far no one has applied for a licence to hold a meeting at Kabirui-ini showground in Nyeri,” he said.
He told the public to stay away from the meeting, and warned the youth against being coerced to attend illegal meetings, saying that anyone who goes against the law will be dealt with accordingly.
At the Kabiruini show ground, the gates remained closed and there were no preparations for the meeting.
Njenga said the meeting would be a thanksgiving ceremony and leaders and youth from Mt Kenya had been invited to rally for unity of the region.
He maintained that he is no longer a member of the proscribed group but the chairman of Amani Sasa Foundation.
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