Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday tore into Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiangi and his PS Dr. Karanja Kibicho over what he termed as sleeping on their jobs and incompetence in their docket, following the escape of three convicted terrorists from the Kamiti Maximum Prison in Nairobi.
Speaking in Embu during one of his political rallies in the region, Ruto, together with his allies in UDA castigated President Uhuru Kenyatta for sacking junior Prison Department officers instead of going for the heads of security docket, whom they say should be shouldering the responsibility following the Monday jailbreak drama.
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“Security of Kenyans should be given priority. Insecurity is rising in Kenya and those charged with the responsibility of ensuring Kenyans are secure should do their duties well. It is a shame to hear that criminals have escaped from prison,” DP Ruto said in Embu.
The three convicts who escaped but were recaptured are Musharaf Abdalla, who was convicted of attempting to attack Parliament in 2012; Joseph Juma Odhiambo, who was arrested in 2019 at the border between Kenya and Somalia for planning to join the terror group al-Shabab; and Mohamed Abdi Abikar, who was convicted for his role in al-Shabab’s attack on Garissa University in April 2015, an attack that left at least 148 people, most of them students, killed.
Supporting the deputy president’s remarks, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua accused Matiangi and Kibicho of engaging in politics instead of ensuring Kenyans were secure.
”Dr Matiang’i and his PS are the ones who have let the President down on matters security and they should be relieved of their duties. There is no need to sack junior officers as this will not resolve problems facing Interior Ministry,” the Mathira MP said.
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Leaders present at the rally were Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, MPs John Muchiri (Manyatta), Eric Muchangi (Runyenjes), Geoffrey King’ang’i (Mbeere South), and Muriuki Njagagua (Mbeere North). Others were Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Cecily Mbarire (Nominated).
