'Can’t even hold a rungu': Sifuna accuses CS Kindiki of hiding behind police to harm protesters

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has castigated Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki for the police brutality witnessed during the recent anti-government protests called by the opposition over the high cost of living.

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition-allied Senator took issue with Kindiki’s deployment of police to counter the protesters in clashes which have so far led to the death of over 20 people and left tens more with gunshot injuries.

Calling the security minister someone who “doesn’t strike me as someone who has even ever slaughtered a chicken,” Sifuna accused Kindiki of departing from the tenets of the law, which provides freedom to demonstrate, and hiding behind the armed forces to harm Kenyans.

“When he says ‘Kujeni’, it’s not as if he is going to be out there in the streets... they tell us to come even with our children and wives, Kindiki knows well he is not going to be the one in the streets. He is hiding behind the police and the State’s instruments of violence,” Sifuna told Citizen TV during Thursday’s Day Break program.

“It is quite shameful for someone who calls themselves a professor of law to chest thump about how he has been effective at denying people rights... he now sees himself as a man who has done a good job, he has bludgeoned children and women in their houses,” Sifuna said.

According to the Nairobi Senator, Kindiki should, as a law professor, be among the Kenyans championing the respect of constitutional rights and using other means to handle protesters instead of meting violence on them.

“People who are supposed to be teachers of the law like Kindiki have forgotten the oaths they took to uphold the constitution... Kindiki cannot even hold a rungu to come and beat me up, but he is talking like that because he can hide behind the police. Shame on you!”

He added: “We wish we saw the same type of eloquence for a plan on how to get this economy.”

On Tuesday, Kindiki attributed Azimio’s move to suspend Wednesday’s protests to the stern warning he issued a day before.

“Wakati walikuja kuanza kisirani saa kumi na moja, wakakuta tulikuja saa saba ya usiku tunawangojea. Hiyo siku tatu wameona cha mtema kuni. Hawatajaribu tena. Walikaakaa wakatangaza ingine kesho, tukawaambia kujeni, sasa wameingia kwa nyasi,” he told a security baraza in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

The CS had on Monday told Kenyans to expect what he described as a more vicious police operation during the opposition’s anti-government protests that were initially set for Wednesday before being postponed.

“Let people do the politics and whatever they want peacefully and in a civil manner; looting, theft, robbery and crime will not be permitted. We cannot relent on that bit,” he told another baraza in Baringo.

“Last week’s operation during those three days was very small, this time round we will be even more vicious.”

Azimio on Monday suspended the protests and instead announced "solidarity parades and vigil” for victims of police brutality in various locations across the country.

The vigils saw various opposition-allied leaders, as well as their leader Raila Odinga, visit patients who were injured during last week’s demos in the hospital. The coalition also launched a benevolent fund for the affected persons and their kin.