The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has said that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua should not expect special treatment from the police on his personal security.
Director Mohammed Amin told Gachagua to report security threats on his life to the nearest police station instead of making public statements.
Speaking at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa County yesterday, Amin said Gachagua should expect treatment just like any other Kenyan. He asked him to report to a police station any threats on his life and get assistance.
He said this was the position of the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, and the National Police Service.
“The former deputy president should not engage in theatrics about his security. He should report the threats on his life to the nearest police station and he will get assistance,” he said.
Amin, who was on an assessment tour of Coast on security, was flanked by regional police commander Mr Ali Nuno and other senior police officers.
In a letter laced with startling allegations against top security officers last week, Gachagua claimed his life is in danger.
Gachagua wrote to Kanja claiming he has survived multiple “assassination” attempts, highlighting instances where he had been a target.
The former DP accuses Kanja of looking the other way in the face of “thought-out” attempts on his life, which he said began with withdrawal of his security detail when he was impeached last October.
Gachagua said the plan involved planned attacks at his Nairobi and Nyeri homes by individuals “well known” to Kanja, accusing him of being an accomplice.
“You withdrew my security in a clear thought-out scheme and backward conspiracy to make me venerable (vulnerable) to organized criminal gangs in cohort (cahoots) with the police and other security agencies and have been implementing the scheme,” wrote Gachagua, who demanded that his security-personal and for his homes and property- be reinstated.
But Amin said yesterday the former deputy president’s concerns have since been adequately responded to by the IG, and he should follow the police advice.
He downplayed reports that Kenya was turning into a gangster paradise insisting that visitors were happy with the prevailing security in the country compared to other Africa nations.
“The screaming headlines about gangs are not warranted. Granted, we have a few rag-tag criminals. The bank robberies and carjacking are not there,” he said.
Amin argued that the country no longer experiences bank robberies and carjacking and hence it was generally safe.
The National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) has reported that there was a resurgence of criminal gangs in the country and that 82.3 percent of Kenyans feel unsafe due to the activities of such groups.
According to NCRC, there are 309 gangs identified in 11 counties, including notorious groups like Gaza, 42 Brothers and Wakali Wao.
