Withdrawing the security details of Deputy President William Ruto's allies is meant to frustrate his 2022 presidential bid, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has said.
He said the move by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and his PS Karanja Kibicho will plunge the country into chaos.
“I want to tell CS Matiang’i and his PS Kibicho not to use their office to front their political agenda by playing into the 2022 inheritance politics to decide who will take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta," Khalwale said in Lurambi constituency, Kakamega county.
"If anything happens to one of these leaders whose security has been withdrawn, the country would burst into chaos."
He said Kenyans will not agree to only be governed by "the so-called noble families". The children of poor people must have an opportunity to lead, Khalwale said.
He said before the 1994 Rwandan genocide, President Juvénal Habyarimana’s security was withdrawn and his plane shot down, leading to the massacre.
Last week the security details of several leaders, including Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika and MPs Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) and Alice Wahome (Kandara), were recalled in what they termed "political persecution".
The five are allied to DP Ruto. While the leaders claim the move was political, the police say the withdrawal of security officers was in order.
Security bosses have defended the move, saying it was part of ongoing reforms to have some Administration Police officers become the official bodyguards of politicians and top government officers, including Cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries as well as MPs.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
