Gatundu South MP condemns selective arrests, warns of political fallout

Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, a vocal supporter of President William Ruto, has broken ranks with the Kenya Kwanza government over what he termed selective arrests and the use of security agencies to harass political opponents. Speaking at Kamukunji Police Station in Nairobi on Monday, where Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia had been detained, Kagombe criticised what he described as the selective application of the law and warned that such actions could damage the government's standing among Kenyans. The legislator said authorities should apply the law uniformly to all individuals accused of making inflammatory remarks, regardless of their political affiliation. "If we are serious about dealing with inflammatory utterances, then everyone should be treated equally. We need to stop selective arrests. I want to see Aden Duale, Hassan Omar and Aron Cheruyot arrested," he said. He argued that other political leaders who have previously made controversial statements should also face scrutiny if the government intends to demonstrate fairness in enforcing the law. Kagombe further condemned the arrest of Kaguchia, saying the DCI overstepped their mandate. He said the MP should have been summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to record a statement "I will never support the manner in which John Kaguchia was arrested," he said. The Gatundu South lawmaker accused the law enforcement agencies of increasingly relying on plainclothes officers and masked personnel during arrests. He said the practice has caused fear among citizens and raised concerns about accountability within the country's security apparatus. "We need to stop using police officers to settle political scores. Someone is misadvising the President," he said. Kagombe warned that the government's handling of politically sensitive arrests could have electoral consequences. He argued that the approach was unlikely to win support for the administration and instead risked pushing more voters towards the opposition. "These actions will not add any votes to the government. If they continue, we shall be losing votes," he said. Kagombe maintained that he was prepared to face any political consequences arising from his criticism, insisting that speaking out against perceived injustices was necessary for the country's democratic health. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter