Police question anti-IEBC demo leader over hate leaflets in Kakamega
Former Kakamega Chief of Staff Nabii Nabwera, former Butere MP Andrew Toboso, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Luhyia
Council of Elders member Zacharia Shimechero at Golf Hotel in Kakamega on January 19, 2014. Police picked up Mr Nabwera on October 23, 2017 for questioning over leaflets threatening voters in Lugari. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Leaflets warned residents of dire consequences if they vote on October 26.
- Police said Nabii Nabwera is not a suspect but is helping with investigations.
- He was picked up from his home in Lugari as he did not heed police summons.
Police on Monday questioned former Kakamega County Chief of Staff Nabii Nabwera in connection with threatening leaflets circulated in Lugari constituency.
The leaflets warned people of dire consequences if they vote in the repeat presidential election on Thursday.
PROBE
Criminal investigation officers picked up Mr Nabwera from his rural home in Lugari and drove him to Lumakanda police station to record a statement.
But the police said they did not consider him a suspect, but only wanted him to share certain information.
The county criminal investigation officer David Cheruiyot said the leaflets were circulated in Pan Paper and other parts of Lugari, creating tension among residents.
“Mr Nabwera is not under arrest but is our person of interest. He was picked up from his home after he failed to honour summons to report to the police station and record a statement on the issue,” said Lugari divisional police chief Bernard Macharia.
VIOLENCE
Mr Nabwera unsuccessfully contested the Lugari parliamentary seat in the August 8 polls and is an ODM party official in Kakamega County.
He was picked by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to be a member of a committee involved in coordinating anti-IEBC protests in Kakamega County.
Earlier, the County Police Commander Tito Kilonzi said security patrols had been intensified in the region ahead of the polls.
“We are monitoring the situation and have taken adequate measures to deal with any outbreak of violence when elections are held on Thursday,” he said.
WARNING
Mr Kilonzi warned youths against disrupting the presidential poll at polling stations, saying police officers had firm instructions to deal with those engaging in violent confrontations.
“Those who attempt to enter polling stations to disrupt voting and destroy polling materials are warned they will face arrest,” he said.
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala was last week charged with incitement in a Kakamega court. He was alleged to have made remarks meant to incite residents to violence during protests in Kakamega.
Mr Malala was released on a cash bail of 300,000 but has vowed to continue with the protests to ensure no voting takes place in the county.
