Nairobi — Opposition leaders were left visibly angered on Monday after a planned meeting with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja failed to materialise, despite prior assurances that he would personally address their concerns.
Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua, accompanied by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-Kenya party leader Eugene Wamalwa, lawyer Ndegwa Njiru and a group of supporters, had gone to Vigilance House expecting a direct engagement with the police chief.
Instead, they were informed that Kanja would not be available and had delegated other senior police officers to meet them , a move the opposition leaders flatly rejected.
"We have declined to meet junior officers who have been delegated to meet us. It was Inspector General Douglas Kanja himself who promised to give us answers about our attacks, but he has gone missing," Gachagua told the press outside the police headquarters.
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The leaders insisted that the matter at hand, which they described as a pattern of violent disruptions of their political meetings by individuals believed to be police officers, was too serious to be handled by junior officers.
They announced plans to return on Friday to demand an audience with the Inspector General in person.
Othaya church attack
The opposition figures further alleged that investigations into the disruption of a church service in Othaya on Sunday, February 25, had been concluded, with several officers implicated.
According to Gachagua, up to 12 police officers and a sitting Member of Parliament had been identified as planners of the incident.
"We have been informed by our sources that investigations into the Othaya church attack have been completed. There are 12 police officers who participated in the attack, including an MP who offered them lunch thereafter," he claimed.
The church service, which Gachagua attended, descended into chaos after teargas canisters were reportedly hurled into the compound, forcing the former Deputy President and his allies to flee into nearby bushes.
The incident has since triggered a political standoff, with the National Police Service maintaining that the organisers had failed to notify local authorities about the high-profile attendance.
Opposition meetings
Gachagua further claimed that orders to disrupt opposition meetings and erect roadblocks were not originating from Kanja but from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
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"We are aware that it's Kipchumba Murkomen and Raymond Omollo ordering police to disrupt our meetings and erect illegal roadblocks on roads leading to our rallies. They can take over the work of the Inspector General instead of issuing illegal orders," Gachagua alleged.
The leaders maintained that the issue had national implications and could not be trivialised.
"We have documented all the abuses from 2023 to date and will be presenting them to the International Criminal Court. We cannot allow such happenings to take place in our country," said Kalonzo.
Kitengela rally
The opposition also condemned the reported disruption of a political rally organised by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna in Kitengela on Sunday.
Kalonzo claimed that two people had lost their lives following police intervention at the rally and called for accountability.
"We want those behind this kind of violence arrested and charged," he said.
The latest standoff comes barely two weeks after United Opposition leaders confronted Inspector General Kanja at Vigilance House over what they described as escalating threats against opposition politicians and ordinary citizens.
Gachagua said that although they had previously discussed public safety concerns with the police chief, no tangible action had been taken.
Earlier, Gachagua had threatened to call for protests on February 16 if action was not taken against those responsible for the alleged violence.
