I will visit Nkaissery's office whenever I want, Lempurkel says
Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel inside the cells at the Nanyuki Law Courts after he was charged with incitement to violence and offensive conduct on November 24, 2016. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel was charged with assault on Wednesday after his arrest on Tuesday and with incitement to violence in Nanyuki on Thursday.
He was whisked away from Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday minutes after being set free on a Sh200,000 bail.
The MP alleged to have fought a colleague at the office of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has vowed to defy the minister's orders not to step foot there again.
Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel also accused Mr Nkaissery of orchestrating his two arrests within 48 hours and the two charges he is facing at courts in Nairobi and Nanyuki.
Enraged, he described the incitement to violent charge against him as "stupid".
“I want to warn the Cabinet Secretary Nkaissery. He is not a politician anymore. If he doesn’t need me in that office, let him resign. The Cabinet secretary’s office is a public office and I can visit when I want,” said Mr Lempurkel.
Mr Lempurkel arrived at Parliament in the afternoon on Thursday a frustrated man with grey stubble after spending two nights in police cells, one in Nairobi and the other in Nanyuki.
He was charged with assault on Wednesday after his arrest on Tuesday and with incitement to violence in Nanyuki on Thursday. He was whisked away from the Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday minutes after being set free on Sh200,000 bail.
The legislator claimed Mr Nkaissery was behind his failed attempts to get cash bail in Nanyuki on Wednesday.
“It’s a big embarrassment taking an MP after paying bail to answer stupid allegations,” he said.
He said attempts to get cash bail in Nanyuki on Wednesday were frustrated by Mr Nkaissery as the police station commander there told him he was acting on “orders from above.”
Kajiado Central MP Elijah Memusi said he is leading attempts to reconcile Mr Lempurkel and nominated MP Sara Korere.
“I am not in any way condoning violence. What Lempurkel and Sara did was shameful and disappointing. But even more disappointing is the manner in which the Jubilee government has handled the issue,” said Mr Memusi.
He read out a statement from Maa leaders, who he said are disappointed with the Jubilee administration and are planning to shift to the Opposition ahead of the next election.
But Mr Memusi suffered a slip of the tongue as he made the declaration, saying: “We are going from JAP to Jubilee,” he said before correcting himself and saying, “Cord. I meant Cord.”
