Activist Boniface Mwangi has alleged a kidnap plot by people he claims to be police officers.
In a statement on X, Mwangi said he has resorted to going underground for a while following the episode.
“I just survived a possible kidnapping attempt. Anyone who stands between the will of the people shall fail. I’m going to be offline. Continue with the struggle!” he said.
Mwangi is one the mobilisers of the anti-tax protests started to oppose the proposed new taxes contained in the Finance Bill, 2024.
He was one of five activists who were arrested on Tuesday, June, 18 near Parliament as they led the inaugural Occupy Parliament protests.
They had chained themselves to a hand cart.
The group was released a day later after the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said Kamukunji police failed to avail sufficient evidence to sustain any charge against them.
Police wanted them charged with unlawful assembly and breaching the peace.
"In the alternative, no evidence has been presented to show that when the suspects so assembled, conducted themselves in a manner that caused reasonable fear [or] that a breach of the peace had or was likely to occur," acting assistant DPP Dorcas Rugut said.
"Consequently, the DPP directs that the evidence presented has not met the evidentiary threshold to warrant approval of the proposed charges," she added.
Upon their release by a Milimani court, Mwangi and crew vowed to continue demonstrating against the Bill.
“When we lose our fear they lose their power. Forward the struggle, forward! Revolution!"
On Friday, he released a schedule of events aimed at continuing the protest, which will culminate in a second round of Occupy Parliament demonstrations on Tuesday, June 25 and a march to State House on Thursday, June 27.
Mwangi said that despite a collective resolution by a majority of Kenyans to reject the Finance Bill, MPs still voted ‘Yes’ to enable the Bill to pass the Second reading stage of legislation.
“We reject the Finance Bill in its entirety. And despite our peaceful protests, police have responded with bullets, killing two of our own, maiming many,” he said.
A protester, Rex Kanyeki Masai, died Thursday evening after being allegedly shot by police.
The Independent Oversight and Policing Authority (Ipoa) said they have already instituted an investigation into the fatal shooting.
Mwangi said despite the alleged police excesses, their resolve to protest against the Bill is unstoppable.
“We refuse to be silenced, so we are marching on,” he said.
