Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued a stern warning against any attempts to revive outlawed criminal gangs in Mt Kenya saying he is ready to pay the political price to ensure they are fully dealt with.
The Deputy President explained that the government was on high alert and would swiftly move in to stop attempts by the gang’s leaders and their sympathizers to recruit young people in the region. He added that heinous acts they committed previously were still fresh in the memories of the residents.
Speaking when he accompanied President William Ruto at Karomboithi Village in Njabini, Nyandarua County for the burial of Senator John Methu’s father Michael Maigo Waweru, the DP asserted that no one would be allowed to misuse the youths from the region.
“I am ready to pay any political price to protect these women and our young girls from the criminal gang. We cannot allow this,” he stated.
He added that those involved in the attempted revival would face the law’s full wrath.
“An attempt is being made to revive that criminal gang. Two months ago, they were back in bus stages extorting from matatu operators and business owners. That cannot happen. We cannot allow anyone to misuse our youths and engage them in crime. We have a responsibility to protect our young people from being misused by anybody,” said Mr Gachagua.
Following orders to rein in the gang, the DP reported that order had been quickly restored when a revival attempt was made.
“We thank our security teams in Central Kenya and the Rift Valley for their swift action in the last three months. The attempt to revive the gang has been stopped and people are now going about their business without fear,” he said.
Mr Gachagua also said the fight against illicit brew and drugs was bearing fruit revealing that efforts had seen the vices drastically reduced in the last year.
He said the drinks had become so rampant after a deliberate move to allow its production and distribution in the previous regime.
“We have succeeded in the fight against illicit drinks. our community was almost becoming extinct because of the deliberate proliferation of poisonous drinks in the region. We must protect our young people because we have a responsibility to do so,” said the DP who is leading the war against the drinks in the country.
In 2023, he held meetings with security teams, and county and national leaders in various regions of the country to heighten the fight and wipe out the poisonous drinks.
Mr Gachagua said the war will be intensified this year. At the same time, the Deputy President urged judges and magistrates to exercise judicial restraint as they adjudicate matters touching on programs toward improving the lives of Kenyans.
He said it was unfortunate that programs such as affordable housing and universal health bills had been suspended via court injunctions.
He said the President had been supportive of the judiciary saying his first executive action when he took office was to approve recruitment of judges earlier denied appointment. He also said the President has agreed to increase the judiciary budgetary allocation by Sh3 billion to improve the delivery of its services.
“We are asking the judicial officials to be patriotic Kenyans and should stop being misused to stop programs beneficial to Kenyans,” Mr Gachagua said.
The Deputy President also called on the security officers to intensify the search for the killers of Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani, also known as Sniper.
“I ask the DCI to conclude investigations and bring to book those involved quickly,” he said.