Starehe MP Charles Jguar arrested over incitement

Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Kanyi alias Jaguar at a Milimani court on Thursday when he was brought under miscellaneous application for the offence of inciting his voters against foreign traders. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Starehe MP Charles Njagua, alias Jaguar, has been arrested on accusations of incitement.

According to Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo, Jaguar was arrested for transporting a mob to Grogan building to illegally take ownership of shops.

The controversial MP is currently in police custody and is being questioned over the matter in Nairobi.

"I'm currently at Nairobi Area. The charges against me are unclear though they seem connected to Mwariro Market. I’ll keep fighting for my constituents. Being a leader is tough but my resolve remains unshaken. Allocations at Mwariro Market have to be fair," the MP wrote on Twitter on Monday.

On June 27, a section of traders at the Gikomba market was left counting losses after their stalls were demolished overnight by unknown people.

According to the Starehe legislator, the stalls were demolished by NYS recruits in the company of GSU officers, although the allegations are yet to be proven true.

“NYS recruits are in Gikomba right now. They're demolishing stalls that traders had reconstructed after a mysterious fire razed them on Thursday morning. GSU officers are also there protecting the recruits. Is this exercise a sign that the govt was involved in the recent fire?” posed Jaguar.

“I ask for an immediate halt to this exercise. NYS recruits should go home. Any security officer present in Gikomba should be there to guard the reconstructed stalls and other properties owned by traders. The govt exists to protect property... not to oversee its destruction.” 

Gikomba has faced a number of fire tragedies with no permanent solution being tabled to put an end to it.

Speaking on Thursday to the disheartened traders at Gikomba, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho warned those behind such attacks that they would face the law.

“We just want to warn people that we believe are behind this is in futility. Gikomba is public land and it shall be used for public purposes even if we relocate traders who are here to the new markets that we are building,” he affirmed.

However, a number of Kenyans seem displeased with the Starehe legislator, with some urging him to front citizen’s problems in parliament instead of social media.

A user identified as GathoniMwaura3 said: “You can do more in Parliament for the traders in Gikomba.Hapa twitter we will just eye roll and move on. Your intention is good but take it to parliament”