A Civil Society group in Migori County has criticised those against arrests of corruption suspects on Fridays describing them as ‘the rich and the mighty’ that are out to frustrate the law.
The group, ‘Firimbi Ya Haki za Binadamu’ (The Whistle for Human Rights) accused those against the Friday arrests of being out to segregate the way Kenyans are treated by the Country’s laws by trying to favor the wealthy against the poor.
“We expect the laws of the country to treat the people equally. Not that when a senior government official or a person of high regard is arrested on Friday it raises hue and cry as opposed to when a common man is arrested,” said Mr. Joel Matiko, the group’s chairman.
Mr. Matiko noted that there have been dozens of low class Kenyans arrested every day including Fridays and weekends on claims of committing various offences but not a single objection had been made by those now opposing Friday arrests.
Matiko who was flanked at a press conference in Migori town by two other senior officials of the group including Secretary John Ochieng’ and organising Secretary Mohamed Musa said, the office of the DPP and DCI should not be vilified at all because they work every day.
“There is not a single day within the week that the two offices are barred by the law from working and thus can order arrest of any Kenyan when ready to do so,” added the chairman.
The group’s backing of the police come in the wake of protests by a section of Kenyans who feel the Friday arrests directed on senior government officials are targeted to lock them up in cells for long hours with the apparent aim of embarrassing them.
Mr. Matiko said a suspect is a suspect regardless of his or her status in the society, adding that Kenyans should avoid working overtime to try to invent different laws to rule the rich and the poor.
“In this case I am totally against those making noise over the arrest of Lawyer Tom Ojienda on Friday last week and not thinking of the many who were arrested and locked up in police cells the same day and time over diverse crimes,” he said.
By George Agimba
