- Police mounted road checks along all roads leading to Nyeri town as others conducted patrols in the estates.
- The meeting, according to Njenga, was aimed at charting the way forward for the residents of the vote-rich region.
Image: COURTESY
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.
Police have arrested several youths believed to be members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
Their arrests came after security officers in the region launched an operation to flush out supporters and those behind an outlawed meeting organised by politician Maina Njenga.
The much-publicized meeting was to be held at Kabiru-ini grounds.
Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu issued the directive on Saturday banning the meeting while directing the security teams and Nyumba Kumi to remain alert to thwart any gatherings in their areas.
“We will not allow that meeting in our area. Nyeri has been a peaceful county. We are warning to all those people who are resurfacing in the name of mungiki that they will be dealt with accordingly,” Murugu said.
Police mounted road checks along all roads leading to Nyeri town as others conducted patrols in the estates.
Other officers had been stationed along the Kabiru-ini grounds where Njenga was to address the supporters and at Nyeri-Nairobi, Nyeri-Nanyuki and Nyeri-Nyahururu highways.
Njenga said on the 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.
Njenga announced about the meeting early last month during an interview with Star saying that all leaders from the region would attend.
The meeting, he said, is aimed at charting the way forward for the residents of the vote-rich region.
He revealed that those in attendance would include elders, the business community. members of the clergy, local politicians and leaders from other regions among other guests would attend.
Njenga further revealed that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta will be part of the leaders who would grace the occasion.
In a recent meeting in the county, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said all illegal meetings will not be allowed as he ordered security officers to ensure that life and property are protected.