After being tear-gassed Mwangaza party lodges complaint against Meru police

Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.[File, Standard]

The Umoja na Maendeleo Party (UMP), associated with former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, has lodged a complaint over the violent disruption of its activities and asked the National Police Service to intervene.

This was after violence disrupted a public rally-cum charity event attended by Mwangaza at Giantune in North Imenti on Sunday.

The UMP petitioned the NPS after the teargassing of the UMP event, where Mwangaza was donating various items to the less privileged through her ‘Okolea kaana ka Meru’ charity programme.

UMP senior officials, who included her spouse, Murega Baichu, and former Meru County Chief of Staff Harrison Gitonga, led other leaders to lodge the complaint at Meru Police Station.

They protested that even though they had informed the police about the event and had complied with the law, the event was disrupted after police tear-gassed the event ‘without any justifiable cause’.

“The event was peaceful, orderly, and attended by wananchi who had gathered to participate in the UMP ‘Okolea’ activities in solidarity with the UMP leadership and in particular in support of our party leader Hon Kawira Mwangaza and other leaders present,” said the party in a press statement.

The UMP said it was shocking and unacceptable for the police officers to teargas peaceful residents who turned up at the event, and thanked supporters for standing their ground “against the ill-advised attempt by the state operators and/or their agents.”

“This is not the first time that Kawira Mwangaza’s meetings have been tear-gassed. We had the first incident at Igoji, the second at Kiguchwa, and now the third incident at Giantune,” said Mr Baichu.

In accusing the police, Baichu noted that other parties and politicians were conducting their activities without disruptions, and questioned why Mwangaza’s UMP was being targeted.

“DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua has been in Meru several times, held meetings, and has never been tear-gassed. We have seen PNU leader Peter Gatirau Munya hold his meetings in Meru; we have never seen him tear-gassed. We have seen Deputy President Kithure Kindiki of UDA hold his meetings here in Meru; he has never been tear-gassed,” he added.

He said: “But when our party leader, Kawira Mwangaza, holds her meetings, she gets tear-gassed.”

She said Mwangaza had a right to participate in politics and demanded an explanation for why her activities were being disrupted.

“Why are women being discriminated against by this Kenya Kwanza system?” he posed.

The party said Mwangaza guaranteed every citizen the right to peaceful assembly, association, and political participation.

The use of teargas against peaceful and unarmed wananchi is an attack on democratic freedoms and political tolerance, the leaders said at the police station in Meru town.

“We call upon the government led by President William Ruto to allow freedom of expression and to stop political violence against those opposed to his regime immediately,” they added.

The party urged the police service to investigate those involved and explain the circumstances that led to the unnecessary use of force.”

Mwangaza said another of her meetings with residents was disrupted at Makiri, Maua, in Igembe South.