Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has revealed that he was inside his home despite the police reports that he was missing when they raided his Muthaiga Home on Thursday, August 8.
He was speaking on an interview on Citizen TV where stated that he watched the raid unfold from when the mulit-agency team arrived to finally breaking into his house. He maintained the secrecy of his hideout upon persistent probing by news anchor Yvonne Okwara, who had intimated that there were reports of a bunker at his residence.
“Yes, I was inside my home but beyond that, I will not tell you where and how and what there is in my home,” he said during an interview with Citizen TV.
Wanjigi noted that staying hidden was necessary but was extremely tough as he watched his family undergo harassment and threats by police officers because he could not intervene.
The former presidential aspirant believes that the current regime wants him dead over suspicion that he may have funded the anti-government protests, which was escalated by his participation in Thursday’s Nane Nane protests.
This, according to him, was reason enough to remain hidden in the undisclosed location, which his family was in full support of as they knew that his life was in danger.
“My kids’ grandmother was in that home, just days after the death of my father. They were very strong and resilient to that pressure, and I can tell you, even if they wanted me to stand up, they were saying no, If these people catch you, they will kill you. They won’t kill us, they may threaten us, they may take us in, but it would be too much for them to kill us,” Wanjigi explained.
Days after the dramatic raid, Wanjigi dared the police to find him, claiming they would never succeed. He suggested that they issue a public summons and that he would willingly attend, rather than facing forceful arrests and abductions.
“Stop looking for me in my house, you will never find me. Seven years ago, they looked for me in this house and they could not find me. Even now, if you look for me in this house you will not find me. Please, don’t do it again. You will be wasting your time.
If you want me, just issue a simple summons and I will appear where you want me. Stop looking for me in this house, you will never find me, never. Please sisi si wanjinga (we are not fools). We were not born yesterday,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, police informed journalists that tear gas canisters had been discovered in a vehicle allegedly belonging to him, which was parked at the entrance of his residence.
Wanjigi however refuted ownership of the vehicle where the items were purportedly found. Additionally, he obtained a court order on Friday barring police from arresting him or restricting his movement.