‘Uhuru tried and failed’: Jimi Wanjigi dares William Ruto after police raid on home
What you need to know:
- Mr Wanjigi's home was surrounded by police during the Nane Nane protests. When he spoke Friday, he said he was on the streets to give the protesters support before the police mounted a chase that culminated by the gates of his home.
- During the raid on Thursday night, Mr Wanjigi said, his wife and children were assaulted as police vandalised his property and stole some items.
Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has dared President William Ruto's government to summon him if they have evidence of any crimes he has committed, moments after resurfacing from his hideout and shortly after the High Court blocked his intended arrest.
He was speaking Friday evening, a day after the police raided his home and carted away some of his belongings in an operation opposition politicians Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka have termed as a witch-hunt.
"If you want me, summon me," said Mr Wanjigi flanked by his wife, and lawyers at his Muthaiga residence.
He added that like seven years ago the police unsuccessfully searched for him in the very house whose doorstep he was standing when addressing the journalists.
Mr Wanjigi was speaking minutes after having a meeting with opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose newfound relationship with President Ruto saw the former win five Cabinet slots, which he fronted for his key allies.
Ms Karua had initially camped at the home, demanding the exit of the police from Mr Wanjigi’s home if they did not have a warrant.
"The more things change, the more they remain the same," Mr Wanjigi said, reminiscing about being in a similar state in 2017 when the police similarly raided his home.
"Seven years ago, you looked for me in this house, you didn't find me. Yesterday you looked for me in this very house and never found me," Mr Wanjigi said, adding that he was watching everything as it unfolded.
In the 2017 raid, Mr Odinga had slept at Mr Wanjigi’s home, creating a buffer zone that saw the police back off from a search to arrest the businessman.
Mr Odinga and Mr Wanjigi were then on the same political side.
“Kenya Kwanza should stop harassing Jimi Wanjigi and trying to plant evidence in or near his compound. Those things are dangerous. Every so often, Jimi Wanjigi is harassed. It should stop,” Mr Musyoka said on Friday.
During the raid on Thursday night, Mr Wanjigi said, his wife and children were assaulted as police vandalised his property and stole some items.
"What does that get to do with politics?" he wondered. "Why are you harming people's children for expressing themselves?"
Further, he said he intends to sue the police for their actions.
Mr Wanjigi's home was surrounded by police during the Nane Nane protests. When he spoke Friday, he said he was on the streets to give the protesters support before the police mounted a chase that culminated by the gates of his home.
'Aiding protesters'
He explained that when he financially helped the protesters he made it public and even posted on his socials.
Mr Wanjigi, who doubles as the Safina Party leader, has been a consistent critic of President Ruto's regime.
The actions meted on his family and property, he said, would not silence him from speaking his mind.
At the same, he termed the regime "a sinking ship" warning that Kenyans are "going to see what we call economic collapse."
Overnight police ordeal
Earlier, his family recounted the hours-long harrowing ordeal with the police as they "illegally" looked for evidence from their residence. The overnight raid was marked by more brutal physical assaults and destruction of property, the family said.
Their ordeal at the mercy of armed police was worse than the previous time police raided their home.
Thursday night, the police broke the door assaulted the family members and coerced them to agree to a search of the house.
“We had no choice but to cooperate. They went for a thorough search till about 4am. And we thought it was over,” Mr Wanjigi’s son, Maina, narrated. “Then at about 6am, masked individuals came, dragged us from bed saying they want to search even more.”
The second search was carried out in darkness after disconnecting the power, the family said, adding: “We don’t know why they wanted to do two different searches.”
On Thursday evening, the family lawyer Willis Otieno said, when the police illegally entered the house, they forced the family to illegally agree to a search, “which they did not but the search was done anyway.” Room by room, floor by floor, he explained, the police ransacked his client’s house.
“All they took were iphones and ipads belonging to the family members, walkie talkies for house communication and a receipt for buying fuel at [a local gas station],” the advocate said. “That is what was inventorised and we all, after a long night of search, wrote that down and signed and everybody left.
On Thursday, before the police forcefully broke into Mr Wanjigi's house, the Acting Inspector General (IG) of Police asked him to surrender at any police station. However, Mr Wanjigi's lawyer said an official summon was yet to be issued to his client.
