Police Officers lobbed teargas at former Presidential Aspirant Jimi Wanjigi and congregants holding a thanksgiving prayer service at the contested Ndabibi ranch in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
Wanjigi was in the company of other local politicians for the service when police officers interrupted the Sunday, April 21 gathering.
The billionaire attended the gathering with residents facing displacement from the 5,000-acre piece of land.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, Wanjigi is seen confronting the officers asking them to allow the locals exercise their right to worship.
However, the officers failed to heed his call and dispersed congregants using teargas.
“I’m asking you, can we pray here? I pray in my home, and I don’t ask for permission, don’t break the constitution of this country, we have come for thanksgiving prayers, why are they teargassing us?” he posed.
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Wanjigi Blames President Ruto
The billionaire also took a swipe at President William Ruto noting that, the people of Ndabibi have long expressed their grievances against the oppression brought upon them by the head of state.
Earlier on Saturday, Wanjii announced that this is the reason he was joining residents of the contested land as an effort to show solidarity with their plight.
“The people of Ndabibi have long expressed their grievances against the oppression brought upon them by William Ruto, a man who had taken an oath to protect them. As a result.
“I will be joining them today in a thanksgiving prayer event, in an effort to show solidarity with their plight,” he stated.
Nonetheless, Wanjigi called out the authorities for disrupting a peaceful prayer session with teargas.
“It is absolutely unacceptable for Ruto to colonize and displace the people of Ndabibi from their homes and then send his men to disrupt their prayer sessions with tear gas.
“Kenyans have every right to worship in peace and should not be subjected to such unjust treatment,” he said.
Ndabibi Ranch Saga
Earlier this year Naivasha Member of Parliament Jane Kihara stated that President Ruto had bought the contested Ndabibi land from the previous owner Mr Benjamin Kipkulei who purchased it from ADC and legally sold it to him.
The 5,000-acre land was part of the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) property.
Likewise, several farmers’ groups and private developers have over the years engaged in tussles with ADC over the lands ownership which they claim to they bought from the State agency.
The groups and private developers accused the agency management of encroaching on their legally acquired land while the former Education Permanent Secretary Benjamin Kipkulei accused the farmers groups of encroaching on his land.
