We won't allow more demos, Kindiki tells Raila

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has dared opposition leader Raila Odinga on planned demonstrations.

This is after Raila said they will resume demos after the bipartisan talks seems to have hit the rocks.

Kindiki said Raila should not resort to demonstrations as an alternative, adding that they will not allow anarchy.

"We will not allow people to disrupt businesses, stop transport and destroy property," he said.

He said those who are aggrieved should go to Parliament or court.

The CS said they will not allow the country to go the way South Sudan and other countries have followed.

"We will not allow demos of breaking shops and causing chaos," he said as he urged politicians to be tolerant.

Kindiki also urged police officers to restrain themselves from hurting innocent Kenyans who are not armed.

He urged Kenyans to stop taking law into their hands, citing Isebania where some people raided a police station and Kericho where residents stormed tea companies and destroyed property.

"Any place with court of arms is a protected area, you cannot for instance raid a police station because a police officer did a mistake, it is protected area," he said.

He spoke at Marimanti Methodist Church, Tharaka constituency in Tharaka Nithi county on Sunday when he attended a church service.

He said 99 per cent of the churches in Kenya are good and have contributed greatly in development.

"We have given church a lot of respect but some are misleading Kenyans," he said.

He said 274 bodies have been exhumed and there are still more graves yet to be dug in the Shakahola incident.

He urge genuine churches to help Kenyans who are being messed by fake preachers.

He said the government will use all necessary force to intervene and bring order in churches to avoid what happened in Shakahola.

"There are a lot of preachers who are hiding behind religion to deprive innocent Kenyans," he said.

The CS said the government will dig out all graves and rescue those who are alive.

He said they will hold prayers to cleanse the place, adding that what happened in Shakahola is like a curse to the country.

"We will hold prayers to cleanse the place and get rid of the curses." 

Kindiki said the government will not backtrack on crooks, cons and criminals who hide behind the church.

"President William Ruto begged Kenyans for forgiveness, I have also begged Kenyans for forgiveness for what happened. It should not have happened in the first place without the knowledge of security forces," he said.

He said government will change the constitution to regulate churches to avoid a repeat of what happened in church.

"I saw some serious clergymen opposing what the government is doing to regulate church, but we will not backtrack," he said.

He said the church cannot be used as a tool to steal from innocent Kenyans.

"There are people who live a life of ancient kings, they live in palaces and drive big cars at the expense of widows and orphans," he said.

On boundary, he said will resolve the issues between Meru and Tharaka Nithi. He urged politicians to avoid inciting residents who live peacefully with one another.

"We have the problem of banditry in Tharaka North, we will deploy anti-stock theft to resolve problems there," he said.

Kindiki said he will also follow up incomplete infrastructural project in Tharaka Nithi.

-Edited by SKanyara