Human rights activist Okiya Omtatah wants interior CS Fred Matiang’i and 21 other state officials to be held personally liable for countrywide confiscation and burning of betting machines.
Omtata says that the actions by the Matiangi, PS Karanja Kibicho and the Country commissioners are in defiance for court orders and they should be held liable for the ongoing crackdown on betting machines.
“The ongoing crackdown is discriminatory and unconstitutional and therefore null and void,” the petition reads.
He argues that the decision to destroy and burn the machines is discriminating against local investors in gaming at the grassroots and their actions favour multinational gaming companies.
“Article 40 of the Constitution is violated to the extent that the respondents are confiscating and destroying private property which is protected by the law,’ Omtatah says.
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He further says that since the government started the crackdown on gaming slot machines across the country in the year 2016, the High Court has issued several conservatory orders suspending the exercise.
Omtatah claims that the orders were extracted and served to the respondents, however, Matiang'i and the others have continuously and deliberately continued confiscating machines.
“Besides the discrimination against local grassroots investors, the petitioner is apprehensive that the actions of the respondents in defiance of Court Orders will expose the taxpayer to claims of damages,” the petition reads.
Early this year the government ordered a crackdown on illegal gambling and illegal brews across the country.
Matiang’i has further directed all county commissioners, their deputies and chiefs to ensure that the directive is fully enforced.
Early this week, the CS supervised the burning of the betting machines that had been confiscated.
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