Uhuru tells off State over raid at son’s home

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has told off the government over Friday’s police raid at his son’s residence.

The retired President warned that he will not be intimidated by the President William Ruto’s administration move to withdraw security accorded to the former First Family

The move follows a directive by the Firearms Licensing Board that the family surrenders 28 firearms they are currently holding.

The looming confrontation between the State and the retired President comes after a video clip seen by People Daily, showed a police officer explaining that he was sent by the chairperson of the Firearm Licensing Board Yakub Rashid to ask the family to surrender the guns.

The officer is heard saying that one of Uhuru’s sons is in possession of three guns namely a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol bringing the total number of guns currently with the family to 28.

“As per our records, one of the sons has three guns, a shotgun, a rifle and a pistol among others. In total these guns are 28 and they are supposed to be returned. They are not being reposed they are being taken back to those who licensed them,” the police officer is heard explaining.

Head-on

The video clip emerged hours before Uhuru stated that officers allegedly said to be from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had raided the home of his son Jomo in Karen, Nairobi to allegedly search for weapons.

Speaking after the raid, Uhuru faulted the government for attacking his family members, including the withdrawal of security of his mother former, First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta.

He vowed to defend his family against any onslaught and dared the government to face him head-on instead of going after his family.

He said his presence at his son’s home came after he received a report from his son that people claiming to be DCI officers aboard a vehicle with Sudanese registration wanted to talk to him just a day after security officers who were manning his mother’s home, withdrew.

“I have the people who have been guarding my mother for the last almost 50 years withdrawn at night. I have now a situation where my son’s home is being raided for things that I don’t understand.

“I ask myself what this government wants because if it wants me, the fact that I have been silent doesn’t mean that I can’t defend myself. Come for me, what does my mother have to do with anything, what do my children have to with anything, if your problem is me, come for me,” said Uhuru.

Right procedures

He added: “The safety of my family has been threatened and that’s why I’m here. I have been quiet, but being quiet does not mean I will not defend my family. I will defend my family to the end. I defended Kenya, and I did my best for this country and handed it over when my time was finished. Why all these things, why intimidate a 90-year-old woman, why intimidate children if it is me you want I am here, tell me what you want.”

Uhuru came to the defense of his family for owning guns saying they had acquired them legally just like other Kenyans.

He told the government to come clean and tell Kenyans and the world whether any of his family members own illegal firearms and that is why it is after them.

“This incident of the raid I leave it to the lawyers but this government should tell me what they want with my children, they have removed their security now I hear they want to remove their personal weapons so what, is it because they are planning something and if they are planning something my only request is don’t plan against my mother, don’t plan against my children, plan for me, if it is me you want leave them alone,” he said.

He added: “How many people are licensed to hold weapons in this country, do they not follow the right procedures, tell us, tell the world, if it is a question of illegal weapons tell the world these people have illegal weapons, but if they are licensed weapons, how many people in Kenya have licensed weapons even foreigners? I am sure they followed the right procedure.”

Not spoken

On Friday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said 23 firearms had been recovered from three homes in Karen, Nairobi, following an operation launched after establishing that weapons used during demos were supplied by civilian gun holders.

“Today afternoon, an operation has been going on targeting three homesteads within the Karen area where a total of 23 firearms, some of which are suspected to have been used in illegal activities are kept,” he said.

When asked whether he had engaged President Ruto, Uhuru was categorical that they had not spoken.
“You have tête-à-tête with somebody who wants to have a tête-à-tête with them, he has not shown any indication he wants to talk to me. As a retired President why should I go look for someone who does not want to talk to me?” he said.

Uhuru said that he still supports Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga as this is his democratic right adding that the latter is a personal friend.

He said he had not attended any of the rallies and demonstrations that have been ongoing in various parts of the country.

“Have you seen me in any rally, in any demonstration, the government knows all my functions as they are done in public be it in Ethiopia or the Democratic Republic of Congo. They know because I don’t do these things undercover, they have a system they know. As you know I have been quiet but being quiet does not mean that I will not defend my family I will defend my family and I will defend it to the end.”

He added: “Now that you say that it’s because of my association with Raila, am I not supposed to have friends? Is that a crime in Kenya today, maybe you should tell me. I thought the only people who should associate with terrorists, bank robbers or something.

“I thought we live in a democracy, I may not have supported this government but I supported the will of the people. You all saw me in broad daylight, was I forced into that field. I did what I was supposed to do what else do you want?”