Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 18- Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has denied claims that his arrest on Tuesday is linked to land tussle instead saying it is politically motivated.
Wanjigi was detained after an 18-hour standoff with security officers drawn from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) and other DCI detectives who pitched camp at his Kwacha House offices in Nairobi’s Westlands from Monday night.
“There is a bigger picture here and it has to do with elections, after all why is it that every election it is Jimi that is sought, 2017 I am being looked for, 2022 now suddenly, in between that there is no problem. It is about the elections. I am making the elections very uncomfortable for some people,” Wanjigi told journalists.
He added that he was being “targeted” by those against his presidential bid pointing out a similar incident during the last electioneering period where his Muthaiga home was raided over possession of illegal firearms.”
“It has nothing to do with guns or properties or anything it is purely just a persecution, these are lies about crimes we know nothing about,” he added.
Wanjigi spent the night at the Kamukunji police station in Nairobi, with DCI boss George Kinoti saying he will be presented in court Wednesday.
Kinoti said the arrest is linked to the fraudulent acquisition of land on General Mathenge Road where his Kwacha offices are located.
“It is true he is under arrest, and we are executing a warrant issued by the court,” Kinoti said.
The raid on Wanjigi’s offices elicited mixed reactions from a section of Kenyans and his supporters.
Earlier in the day, a group of Wanjigi’s supporters stormed his offices forcing police to lob teargas to disperse them.
The supporters who were protesting the raid arrived in three buses at the premises and demanded to be given access into the offices before being dispersed from the area by police.
Wanjigi a former ally of both President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga recently went on a political offensive against the Azimio la Umoja flagbearer saying he ‘betrayed’ other Nasa principles for engaging in a handshake deal with Kenyatta without consulting them.
“n regards to the handshake he (Odinga) should have involved his generals because they are saying it was a peace handshake, he left them behind and took with him his ‘family,” Wanjigi who has also declared interest in the presidency said Sunday.