Drama as Washiali resists police arrest at Bukhungu stadium
A video has surfaced showing Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali being assaulted by police officers at the Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega on Saturday ahead of a planned Kenya Kwanza rally in the region.
The incident was triggered by a move by the county government of Kakamega insisting that the Kenya Kwanza team should first pay for the venue before proceeding with preparations for the rally.
Deputy President William Ruto, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula are expected to address the rally, in what is billed as the final push by the Kenya Kwanza camp to try and galvanise voters to back the coalition in the August 9 polls.
Kenya Kwanza rally
Officials of the Kakamega County government have insisted that Kenya Kwanza will not hold the rally at Bukhungu stadium after failing to pay the required charges.
But Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala has insisted that the rally will proceed as planned.
“The county officials demanded that we should raise Sh900,000 before we can hold the rally at Bukhungu stadium. When we went back to pay the money, they told us to deposit the amount in bank and that was well after banks had closed their operations,” said Mr Malala.
Mr Washiali told Nation.Africa that that he had gone to the stadium to inspect preparations for the planned Kenya Kwanza rally planned for today (Sunday).
“As we tried to gain entry into the stadium, the county enforcement officials blocked us and called in police officers claiming we had damaged one of the gates,” said Mr Washiali.
Police officers pounce on MP
When the police officers arrived, they pounced on the MP and tried to bundle him into their vehicle.
But Mr Washiali resisted as those who had accompanied him jeered at the police officers, accusing the law enforcers of manhandling him.
At one point, a man who had accompanied Mr Washiali intervened by grabbing the MP as the police officers dragged him towards a waiting Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle.
“You can’t do this to mheshimiwa. You would rather shoot me. Stop what you are doing to the MP,” said the man before a police officer hit him with a baton.
Mr Washiali said after the officers failed to bundle him in their vehicle, he left the venue but they told him they were going to arrest him.
“They said they would look for me in my house. This is a clear move by the government to try and frustrate the Kenya Kwanza campaigns as we head to the elections,” said Mr Washiali.
