Patrick Makau, the member of parliament for Mavoko, has been arrested. Makau was apprehended in the early hours of Thursday morning at his residence in Karen, Nairobi.
His home was searched at 4 a.m., and he was taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Kiambu by investigators from the DCI.
Makau's detention is related to the anti-government rallies that resulted in the enormous destruction of the Nairobi Expressway at the Mlolongo toll station during the opposition's picket over the high cost of living.
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Prof. Kithure Kindiki, the Interior Cabinet Secretary, slammed opposition leader Raila Odinga for being the "architect of today's lawlessness and impunity," referring to the former prime minister as the poster boy for violent politics.
"From the attempted coup in 1982 to the post-election violence in 2007/08, this same politician and his collaborators have been associated with risky politics that has occasionally plunged our country into near destruction," Kindiki added.
The Interior Secretary further stated that those who participated in the demonstrations, both directly and indirectly, would face legal consequences.
At least nine persons were killed in the protests, four in Mlolongo, two in Kitengela, and one in Emali in Makueni County.
During an impromptu presser, Raila said that he had to cancel the protest because police officers brutally assaulted and arrested protesters, preventing them from exercising their civil rights.
Despite being labelled unlawful, the protests went on. In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome indicated that because leaders of the Azimio coalition led by Raila Odinga had not provided any official information to the police about the planned rallies, the gatherings would be considered illegal.
He said that in the interest of national security, the National Police Service wishes to inform the public that in the absence of notifications by demonstration planners as a legal prerequisite to enable Police to provide adequate security to demonstrators and the public, Police have no other option but to take necessary measures to disperse all illegal demonstrations.
