Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho wants security agents to crack down on hired hooligans disrupting political events across the country.
Kibicho directed government administrators to work closely with other security agencies to stamp out the practice of hiring youth groups blamed for disrupting political gatherings.
He said intelligence gathering had attributed to the hired groups the recent attempts to disrupt rallies in Kirinyaga County.
“Kirinyaga is a peaceful county and our people are civilized and hospitable. We cannot allow a handful of hooligans to cause chaos here and taint the good reputation of our county,” he said.
Kibicho blamed the incidences reported in the county on two area leaders who have reportedly enlisted youth to cause chaos in campaign meetings organized by rival contestants.
The PS urged residents to exercise political tolerance by granting audiences to competing candidates and making informed choices in the August 9 polls.
“Insults and sponsoring chaos are retrogressive and primitive practices, and Kirinyaga is beyond that. We must oppose leaders corrupting the minds of our young people using cheap liquor and bhang as a means to political glory.”
He was reacting to recent events where some politicians' rallies were disrupted by suspected hired goons, especially in parts of Central Kenya.
He spoke in Kirinyaga when he officially opened seven new administrative units recently gazetted.
The PS said that the recruitment of administrators for the new units will begin on Monday.
“The number of our administrative units has doubled in Kirinyaga since President Kenyatta took over. From 87 sub-locations, we now have 152 of them, and this speaks volumes on the government's progressive efforts to decentralize security and citizen services.”
The new administrative units include the Mutige location and Gatugura, Thumari, Kiandai, Githage, Raimu North and Raimu South sub-locations.
