Police deny raiding Kandara returning officer's house
A Section of women who attended a press conference at Boulevard Hotel in Nairobi on October 29,2017 where they condemned the DPP orders to IG Joseph Boinnet to investigate assault incident involving Kandara MP Alice Wahome. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Kandara police commander Gregory Mutiso dismissed the allegations as false, alarming and uncalled for.
At the same time, Kandara MP Alice Wahome is yet to be arrested even after the office of the Director of Public of Prosecution ordered for her immediate arrest and prosecution.
However, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kangata has defended the MP, saying she was only protecting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s votes.
Police have refuted claims they raided the home of the Kandara constituency returning officer on Saturday night, two days after the IEBC official had a spat with area MP Alice Wahome over alleged errors in form 34A.
A video of the MP confronting the returning officer on Friday was widely shared on social media.
Mr Martin Malonza claimed the MP accused him of being in a rush to take the results to Bomas, the national tallying centre, “without her input”.
Kandara police commander Gregory Mutiso dismissed the allegations as false, alarming and uncalled for.
POLICE ESCORT
“Where are you people getting this information from? I have been in contact with the returning officer and I can confirm that nothing of the sort took place. He has, however, changed his phone contact to avoid the numerous calls he has been receiving since the incident with the MP,” said Mr Mutiso.
“What might have raised questions is the decision by the police to escort Mr Malonza to Kandara Police Station to record his statement. He requested us to escort him because he did not want to use his car. So we picked him from his house to the police station. That probably is what raised eyebrows,” he added.
Murang’a County returning officer Joseph Mukewa said he was not aware of a raid.
Efforts to reach Mr Malonza were futile as calls went unanswered.
By the time of going to press, the Nation had not established his exact location, even as allegations that he lives in Thika emerged.
ARREST
At the same time, Kandara MP Alice Wahome is yet to be arrested even after the office of the Director of Public of Prosecution ordered for her immediate arrest and prosecution.
Ms Wahome has been accused of assaulting Mr Malonza at Ng’araria Girls Secondary School which served as the constituency’s tallying centre.
The video showing the MP confronting the returning officer has since gone viral attracting divergent reactions among Kenyans.
After the video was shared on various social media platforms, a hashtag, #ArrestAliceWahome, was created on Twitter. It has been trending since the October 27 incident.
In a letter sent to newsrooms, IEBC wrote: “We take great exception to the manner in which MP Alice Wahome harassed an IEBC official performing his duties. Such is an electoral offence that must be punished.”
However, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kangata has defended the MP, saying she was only protecting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s votes.
