Kibicho now says no need to buy teargas

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho yesterday made a passionate appeal to Mt Kenya residents to back the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Bill, which he said seeks to unite the nation.

Kibicho recounted the ugly scenes witnessed after the 2017 disputed presidential polls pitting President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga leading to violence that erupted in parts of the country.

He lauded President Kenyatta and Raila for rising above their party interests to unite the country through the handshake that birthed the BBI with a nine-point agenda.

Kibicho, who has been leading the BBI campaigns in Central Kenya, vowed to continue doing the same to educate residents on its benefits.

“I will come to you not once or twice, but many times. I have to make sure that even if you do not support BBI you will vote with proper knowledge,” said the PS.

He recalled the violence that erupted in 2017 and 2018, saying there was no justification for the chaos that was witnessed.

“When violence erupted, we would deplete a full store of teargas every week dealing with the protesters and the government spent Sh10 million every month to feed police officers deployed to quell the riots,” he continued.

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho has lauded the deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga that led to the handshake. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

BEST THING EVER

He added that the handshake was the best thing that happened to Kenya. 

“Since then we have not bought even a can of teargas.”

Kibicho broke his silence weeks after he was bashed by Raila’s key allies, Senator James Orengo and MPs Junet Mohamed (Suna East) and Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), faulting his involvement in the BBI popularisation drive.

They told him to stay clear of the process because he was a civil servant and this was a political process.

And yesterday, two leaders from Kirinyaga County came to his defence over claims that he was sabotaging the BBI.

Gichugu MP Gichimu Githinji said Kibicho was among the few top national government leaders from Mt Kenya region and as such he should be protected.

“In Kirinyaga County, we feel that our son is working very well as per the contract he has been given by Uhuru,” said Gichimu.

Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici wondered why there was much hostility against Kibicho after he started drumming up support for the BBI. She added that despite her decision not to support the BBI, she would still stand with the PS “as a brother’s keeper”.