A wave of intense public fury has swept through Embu town, transforming its streets into scenes of chaos as hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of their representative, Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji. The demonstrations, marked by bonfires, hurled stones, and widespread disruption, forced the closure of businesses for the second consecutive day, signaling a significant escalation of political tension in the region.
The unrest is a direct fallout from the arrest of MP Mukunji on Monday, July 7, a day synonymous with Kenya's historic Saba Saba commemorations. Mukunji was apprehended by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and initially detained at Kibii Police Station in Juja. The accusation against him is severe: allegedly inciting residents to violence during the nationwide Saba Saba protests, which notably also affected his home county of Embu.
As news of Mukunji's detention spread, the public's frustration in Embu quickly boiled over. Demonstrators, fueled by anger and a sense of perceived injustice, directly confronted law enforcement. Riot police, deployed to disperse the increasingly agitated crowds, found themselves overpowered and forced to call for reinforcements, a stark indicator of the intensity of the protests. The situation escalated rapidly, with demonstrators erecting formidable barricades of rocks and fires across all major roads, effectively paralysing transport and bringing the town to a standstill.
However, the core of the controversy now centers not just on the protests, but on the unsettling mystery surrounding MP Mukunji's whereabouts. According to his lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, the legislator was picked up in the afternoon by DCI officers, but his subsequent movements have become shrouded in secrecy. Njiru revealed that upon visiting Kibii Police Station, he was astonishingly informed that the MP had been released – a claim the lawyer vehemently refutes as untrue.
Njiru’s investigation at Kibii Police Station further deepened the concerns. He stated that the occurrence book (OB) at the station only recorded Mukunji’s entry but showed no indication whatsoever of his release. "The OCS confirmed that he only booked him for the sole purpose of holding him. Meanwhile, the MP’s vehicle remains detained at the station," Njiru asserted, suggesting a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth. Accompanied by Mukunji's wife, the legal team was further informed by a senior police officer that the MP was likely to face charges of incitement to violence, yet no official details or location were provided.
Mr. Njiru strongly accused the police of withholding critical information from the MP’s spouse and legal counsel, a practice that undermines due process and transparency. He issued a direct challenge to the DCI: either present Mr. Mukunji in court without further delay, or release him immediately if no charges are forthcoming. By Tuesday noon, despite widespread reports and public demands, the MP's whereabouts remained officially unknown, leaving his supporters and family in agonizing suspense, even amidst unconfirmed whispers of a court appearance.
