Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday, March 10, accused President William Ruto of targeting Mount Kenya businesses in the recent demolitions.
Speaking to the press at the DCP Headquarters, Gachagua claimed that the demolitions experienced in Roysambu, Githurai and Uhuru Markets targetted mebers of the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru communities.
He claimed that Ruto was using state agencies to punish entrepreneurs from the Mount Kenya region, and accused his former boss of ethnic profiling.
"This is persecution of a community. It is ethnic profiling, and it is unacceptable," Gachagua declared.
The DCP leader accused President Ruto of being insensitive to the plight of Kenyan entrepreneurs and questioned why the demolitions happened at night.
He claimed he had received intelligence reports of more demolitions, citing Tsunami, Nyayo, Kamukinji, Gikomba and Mowlem Markets.
Gachagua questioned the real motive behind the demolitions. He argued that if it was an issue of encroachment into public land, then even top politicians had a case to answer.
"If it is genuine that public land and spaces should be vacated, why is the Weston Hotel standing tall on KCAA land?" Gachagua posed.
The former DP accused Ruto of plotting to exile GEMA entrepreneurs from Nairobi County to prevent them from voting in the county.
Gachagua claimed that the President was in the hoots with Governor Johnson Sakaja, whom he accused of undertaking measures to undermine businesses belonging to the GEMA communities.
"We also have information that Sakaja has ordered that business people and contractors who have rendered services to the county and come from Mount Kenya should not be paid.
"They have been struggling with pending bills for the last three years, and these communities have been targeted for impoverishment and being denied their dues," he reiterated.
The DCP leader stated that the government was irresponsible and unjust for demolishing businesses without offering alternatives.
He called the relevant authorities to cease the demolitions with immediate effect and subject the exercise to a fair and transparent review.
His sentiments came after the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) demolished structures in Githurai and Roysambu to pave the way for the construction of modern bus bays.
Traders in Uhuru Market also incurred insurmountable loss after waking up to find their stalls flattened by bulldozers.
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