CS Matiang’i orders new police post to be set up at City Hall

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Mohamed Badi at City Hall on July 30, 2020. They said a new police post will be established at City Hall and all officials there will be disarmed in an operation. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai visited City Hall Thursday and announced an establishment of a new police post at the assembly to enforce law and order.

Also in the delegation was Director-General of Nairobi Metropolitan Services Maj Gen Mohamed Badi.

The officials said more police officers will be deployed there to ensure security and stability of county affairs.

Matiang’i reiterated his earlier directive to disarm county officials including Members of County Assembly as part of efforts to help the county-run smoothly.

“We will have a police post fully run by officers here to ensure the county is safe from people threatening security,” said Matiang’i.

He also ordered the newly sworn-in clerk Edward Gichana to ensure discipline among the staff there.

Matiang’i’s visit to the City Hall comes after he reacted to the chaotic scenes witnessed there on Tuesday where MCAs engaged police in running battles as the legislators gathered signatures to impeach Nairobi County Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

He and Mutyambai inspected parts of the building that were destroyed during the stormy attempt by some MCAs to serve speaker Elachi with impeachment notice.  The officials also visited Elachi’s office before leaving.

There were chaos outside City Hall when a group of MCAs tried to address a press conference immediately after the officials had left but the police dispersed them violently causing a stampede.

There have been series of chaos at City Hall pitting MCAs allied to Elachi and another group to governor Mike Sonko. Both factions have been threatening to impeach the other’s leaders citing incompetence.

This boiled out on Tuesday when police were called to disperse the Sonko group that was forcing itself into Elachi’s office.

It caused an uproar after police were caught on camera assaulting one of the MCAs.

Matiang’i said they have so far recovered 14 weapons from the city hall officials in a disarmament exercise.