Jimi Wanjigi, the leader of the Safina Party and a prominent businessman, has sounded the alarm over what he describes as an unprecedented surveillance operation outside his residence in Muthaiga, Nairobi.
For the past week, Wanjigi claims, unmarked vehicles have been stationed near his home, jamming communications and causing distress to him and his family.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, September 13, 2024, Wanjigi publicly questioned the presence of these vehicles.
“Why are unmarked vehicles outside my residence in Muthaiga for the last one week? This is clearly harassment on me and my family, this surveillance is unprecedented! These vehicles are jamming all communication to my residence!” he lamented.
To support his claims, Wanjigi also shared photos of the vehicles he claims have been monitoring his home.
Some of the vehicles appeared to be equipped with multiple antennas, suggesting they could be involved in communication interference activities.
Cöurt order
The businessman’s alarm follows a recent ruling by the High Court that barred police from invading his Muthaiga residence pending the outcome of an application filed by his wife, Irene Nzisa Wanjigi.
High Court Judge Joe Omido, on September 11, 2024, issued an order restraining acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli or any officers under his command from confiscating or destroying any property belonging to the Wanjigi family until the matter is resolved.
The cöurt case stems from an incident on August 8, 2024, when Wanjigi, along with his children, accused police officers of raiding their home, destroying property, and confiscating items.
According to Wanjigi’s wife, during the invasion, officers forced entry by breaking the gate and doors, shattering windows, and damaging Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, lighting, and other equipment within the residence.
Irene Nzisa Wanjigi’s affidavit paints a vivid picture of the chaos that unfolded during the raid.
She claims that police confiscated five mobile phones, home communication devices, six laptops, iPads, and other valuable gadgets.
Wanjigi’s wife emphasized that this was not the first time state agents had raided their home, adding that similar incidents occurred in 2017 and 2022, resulting in damage to their property and alleged physical assaults on family members.
“The repeated raids of the home of the plaintiffs and the repeated a*****t of the applicants have ostensibly been occasioned by the state’s vendetta against one Jimi Wanjigi for his political activism. The plaintiffs and their home have nothing to do with Jimi Wanjigi’s political activism,” Irene Nzisa Wanjigi stated in her affidavit.
Judge Omido has directed Wanjigi’s wife to serve court papers to acting Inspector General Masengeli and the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, ahead of a hearing scheduled for September 24, 2024.
August 8th raid
The August 8, 2024, raid came after a tense standoff earlier that day. Police were locked outside Wanjigi’s Muthaiga home for hours/
The police had vowed to storm the house if Wanjigi did not surrender, linking him to anti-government protests that have stirred controversy in recent months.
Authorities ultimately stormed into Wanjigi’s compound as darkness set in on August 8.
The businessman’s latest claims of surveillance and harassment raise questions about the intersection of politics and state security in Kenya.
The High Court’s ruling temporarily halts direct police action, but the presence of unmarked vehicles around Wanjigi’s residence suggests the tensions are far from over.
