MP's bodyguards injure matatu driver

Lugari MP Ayub Savula. His bodyguards injured a matatu driver at Maseno after an accident involving his car. FILE PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • The matatu had reportedly scratched the legislator's car, leading to the altercation.
  • The MP downplayed the incident.

A Member of Parliament's bodyguards on Monday injured a matatu driver during an altercation before crashing into a bar at Maseno Shopping Centre.

Lugari MP Ayub Savula, who was in his car, watched as his bodyguards hit the driver on the head with the butt of a pistol as the matatu was moving.

The matatu had scratched the MP's car, a Toyota Prado, after collecting passengers at a bus stop outside Maseno University.

The three bodyguards and a lady dressed in National Youth Service uniform jumped out of the MP's car and confronted the driver while wielding pistols.

On seeing the bodyguards drawing their weapons, the passengers advised the driver to flee.

An eyewitness, Charles Eneka, said the bodyguards held onto the driver's window while hitting him several times on the head.

“We do not understand the conduct of the bodyguards who were attacking the driver of a moving matatu,” he said, adding that their actions put the passengers' lives at risk.

“What would happen if the passengers had been killed?” he asked.

JUMPED OUT

The driver is said to have advised the MP to report the matter at a nearby police station but the legislator said he was in a hurry to catch a flight.

“He really pleaded for dialogue over the matter but the bodyguards could not listen to him,” said Mr Eneka.

The shaken driver, who could not withstand the beating according to Mr Eneka, jumped out of the moving matatu before it crashed into a bar.

Mr Savula, who later exited his vehicle to address the angry driver who wanted to confront the bodyguards, downplayed the incident.

“My people were trying to intervene after an unruly driver crashed into my car,” said the MP.

The driver had an injury on his head while the passengers sustained minor injuries. A section of the bar was damaged.

The matatu was later taken to a police station nearby.

The officers who were at the scene refused to talk to the Nation saying they are not authorised to speak to the media and instead referred us to the area OCPD, Peter Omanwa.

Mr Omanwa, when contacted, said he was not aware of the incident and would only comment after he had been briefed by his officers on the ground.